3 Tips for Taking Better Photos of Your Kids, According to Professional Photographers

I was scrolling through my camera roll recently when I noticed that I was steadily improving as a parent photographer. What helped? My child (who is now six) is just as restless and disinterested in spontaneous photo shoots as he was when he was a toddler. Still, studying the work of a few professional family photographers whose work I’ve long admired upped my game, so I reached out to them and asked them to express their favorite techniques for children. Best of all, their advice is smartphone-friendly. Here, exactly what to do.

About the experts

• Nicki Sebastian is a commercial, editorial and family photographer based in Los Angeles. She loves capturing the beauty and chaos of motherhood, whether she’s shooting photos of her two daughters or shooting for family brands ranging from Crate & Kids and Maisonette to Oeuf and UPPABaby.

• Christine Han is a Los Angeles-based photographer and mother of one. She regularly takes photos of people (kids included!), food, drinks, products, and travel and has worked with brands such as BuyBuyBaby, West Elm, Shake Shack, and more.

• Ana Gambuto is a lifestyle photographer, educator, and mother of two based in New York. One of his main passions is teaching others how to document their lives with nothing more than their phone’s camera. She has worked with brands ranging from SkipHop and Ergo Baby to Tiny Beans and Shutterfly.

1. Stop taking head-on photos

Nicki Sébastien

According to Nicki Sebastian, photography can sometimes seem stale or uninteresting because we can get too accustomed to taking photos from the perspective through which we most often see the world: from our own height. “Our phones are convenient because they are readily available to capture moments in the blink of an eye, but we can easily get too comfortable framing our images in a very basic and expected way,” she says.

Nicki’s advice: Play with angles and focal points. “Find an open sky, lie down on the ground and shoot from below: a sharp backdrop will make your subject stand out and the new point of view will add dynamic flavor and interest to your image,” she explains . “Conversely, you can stand above your subject and photograph them in a field of grass, on a soft rug in your home, or spread out on the sand—anywhere that is comfortable and conducive to play or relaxation. relaxation. In these setups, the camera becomes secondary, your child’s lack of awareness becomes beneficial, and the resulting images become truly candid. Nicki adds that it’s also key to helping your child forget that they’re being photographed, allowing their authenticity and uninhibited expressions to really shine.

2. Try the “peanut butter sandwich” trick

Christine Han

It’s a question of spontaneity. The best photos of children are those that capture children’s authentic joy, says Christine Han. But when kids see a camera, they often go into what she calls “frozen cheese smiles” because that’s what they’re used to. It’s OK! But there is a better way to get them to be themselves.

Christine’s advice: Tell a joke. “You have to create the opportunity for true joy,” Han says. “First, find a good place to gather the kids, where there is plenty of natural light and very few background distractions.” The next part is simple: play with your kids behind the lens. “Encourage them to “make a peanut butter sandwich” with each other, ask them if they have tails, anything to make them laugh and communicate with each other. No, you’re not looking to take a photo of the peanut butter sandwich when they create it, but you are looking for authentic moments in between when they have a good time. That’s when you shoot like crazy.

3. Use Portrait mode, but try “Selfie” view

https://anagambuto.com/

Ana Gambuto says that, of course, portrait mode is a must-have for parents who like to take photos of their kids on their smartphone, because it offers beautiful (and professional-looking) background blur. The only downside is that there’s a minimum distance required — on average about four feet — for the effect to work, which can make it difficult to quickly snap a candid child photo.

Ana’s advice: To use selfie portrait mode instead. “It gives a shorter focal length, which means you can be closer to the subject (about six inches away) and focus faster, which is great for moving kids around,” says Gambuto. Just open portrait mode, use the front camera’s portrait (or selfie) view, then flip your phone so your child is in the frame, she says. Then all you have to do is press the volume up button on your iPhone to take a photo. “You’ll have to take photos, photos, photos in rapid succession and then see what you get. But when you get a good one, the close-up detail is really something,” Gambuto adds.

I am a photographer and here are my 3 best tips for looking beautiful in photos