Tips of taking a good pictures of kids

• by SheKnows.com, on Fri Sep 17, 2010 9:10am PDT

by Sarah Caron for SheKnows.com


Want to take better photos? We asked mommy bloggers from around the Web to share their tips and tricks for taking great photos. These women take and share many fabulous photos every week, so they have plenty of expertise to share.

Taking great photos is a wonderful skill, and many mommy bloggers have mastered it, sharing their art with the world on blogs everywhere. From beautiful portraits of children at play to mouthwatering snapshots of fresh, fabulous food, a world of wonderful photography awaits exploration online.

Here's what the mommy bloggers had to say.

TIP 1: GET ON THEIR LEVEL

Taking photographs while standing up might seem natural, but the results can look anything but natural in the end. Who wants to see their kids from a bird's eye view? Instead, Kristen Doyle ofDine and Dish  and Culinary Snapshot suggests getting down to your child's level while taking photos. "Capturing them at that level creates a great photograph and an interesting perspective," says Doyle.

TIP 2: FIND YOUR STYLE

Different people photograph differently. Finding the style of photography you like is important. "Flip through cookbooks or magazines. Look at how other people do it to find your style and what appeals to you," says Katie Goodman, the blogger behind goodLife{eats}. What should you be looking for? Camera angles, shot framing, background ideas, etc.

TIP 3: LET KIDS BE NATURAL

Children don't sit still voluntarily very often -- it's just not their nature. Kids are up, running, playing and having fun, so capture them in their element! "Don't try to make them sit still, look at the camera and smile. Follow them around as they're acting naturally, and you'll be amazed at some of the great pictures you get," says Doyle. Set your camera to an action setting for best results.

TIP 4: PERFECT YOUR CRAFT

Focus on taking the best photo you can by approaching your photos the old-fashioned way: With firm concentration and good focus. "Conventional wisdom is to take several shots, but I think you should take as few as possible, and concentrate on what you see through your lens. That's how you learn composition," says Jennifer Jeanne Patterson of Unplanned Cooking. The benefit? You will hone true photography skills this way.

TIP 5: BUT DO EXPERIMENT

While concentration will help you hone those photography skills, taking multiple shots will help you find your style. Kate of Savour Fare advises that you take many photos as a learning experience. "We're so lucky in the digital age to have a lot of room for experiments and mistakes.  Try different angles, different setups.  If you don't like the result, then just delete," she says.

TIP 6: LIGHTING MATTERS

Sure, many cameras come with built-in flashes. That really truly doesn't mean you need to use it. Why? Built-in flashes can cause the subjects of photos to wash out and look flat. Instead, go for natural lighting, and avoid head-on light, since it can cause deep shadows (definitely not a good thing!). "Think about the light: Directional light (from the side) is almost always more interesting than direct light," Kate says.

Finally: "No flash, no flash, no flash. This is a tip that's oft-repeated because it is frequently forgotten. If you can take your pictures outside, that is always first choice. If not, get thee to a window and get as much of the natural light that you can. And if you absolutely, positively have to use a flash, spend 20 bucks and invest in a Lightscoop," says Cate O'Malley of Sweetnicks.