We all take a lot of photos on our phones right? And I know that as a parent, you take about a bajillion photos of your children because they are just so darn cute and you want to capture every moment. But, do your results ever leave you feeling like you wish you knew how to take better photos of your kids on your phone?
The cameras on our devices have come a long way in even just the past few years. But they still have certain flaws. Every time I take a picture on my phone, I always feel disappointed that it’s not as light or bright as I want it to be. I immediately take every image into my favorite photo editing app to brighten it up a bit. But, there’s a bit more to it than even just that.
So, today I’m sharing 5 tips to help YOU take better photos of your kids on your phone.
- Get down on their level. Since you are much taller than your kids, when you photograph them from above you get a distorted view. Photographing them at their level provides a better perspective. It allows for more interesting foregrounds and backgrounds. Squatting is your best option when photographing toddlers so you can quickly run after these constant movers!
- Focus on their eyes for portraits. Touch the focusing square right over whichever eye is closest to the phone. When the eyes are in focus, it draws the viewer in. Direct, in-focus eye contact makes for powerful photos. After all, “eyes are the window to the soul.”
- Use burst mode when they are moving. Kids are on the move like 99% of the time. The burst mode on your phone takes a bunch of images to capture them as they move.. You’re more likely to find at least one you love! The ones that don’t turn out you can delete.
- Leave the cheese for eating! I always tell my clients prior to our session, to leave the cheese at home. When we tell kids to say ‘cheese’ we get forced, fake smiles from them that don’t feel true to their personalities. Instead, get them to giggle or laugh with tickles, or jokes. When all else fails say ‘poop!’ Almost every child cracks up when adults drop some potty-humor.
- Turn off the flash and look for natural light. When taking photos indoors turn off your flash on your camera. Flash creates harsh, unflattering light. I don’t recommend using it — unless you absolutely have to. Look for natural light instead. Find the biggest window in your house that has diffused light coming in. Diffused light is a soft light that is evenly distributed, leaving no sharp shadows. Now that you’ve got your location, put your kiddo in front of that window. You’ll stand between your kid and the window, making sure you’re not casting a shadow on them. This is some of my favorite kinds of light because it is soft and universally flattering.
- Take photos from different angles. This provides different perspectives that spice up your photos. Play around and have fun with it! Try out a few different angles to see what you like best. You can always delete photos you don’t like.
- Use the editing feature. Phone cameras tend to underexpose our images. You’ll want to edit the images on your phone for the best results. First, lighten the entire image up a bit. Use the temperature slider and warm it up as well. Adding warmth to your photo brings extra life to the image. Just don’t go too far, or your photos will start to look a little orange!
- Have fun and don’t overthink it! Remember to have fun with it and let your kiddos take the lead. Capture them doing the things they love. Document their silliness. You’ll take better photos of your kids when they are being their authentic selves. After all, childhood is fun and the wonderment that childhood offers is one of the most beautiful things to capture.
I hope these tips help you take better photos of your kids when you pull out your phone to snap a pic of your cutie! Leave me a comment below and let me know if you found these tips helpful.
P.S. It’s super important for you to get in the photos too! Your kids are going to love the photos of you together when they are older. Head on over to my contact form to reach out about scheduling a family photo session and I’ll make sure you get some amazing images of the entire family — you included!
