Where are my mom-tographers? One of my most asked questions is: what camera do you use and how in the world do you use it? Well, I’m going to share some secrets from one of the photographers who has taught me how to use my camera! We want to share 5 (or more) helpful tips for taking better photos, especially of your kids. Hold on tight, it’s a lot of info so be sure to pin this for reference!
I want to introduce you to Lissa, my college suite-mate, fellow cheer team member and friend. She inspires me and teaches me so much not only about photography but life, love and Jesus. I can go on and on about how wonderful she is…but I’ll let her speak for herself. Here is Lissa, y’all!
Hi there! My name is Lissa Anglin and I have been a full-time professional photographer for 10 years. In that time I have photographed hundreds of kids and had the pleasure of watching them grow and change right in front of my lens over the years. I’ve also got two kids of my own (Knox, 5 years and Liv, 2 years) who have their own ideas about picture time- so I know what Moms go through to get one great image!
I have come to really appreciate images of my kids that remind me of who they were during that stage of life. They grow so quickly- and photography is just one way to freeze all their goodness (or mischievousness) in time. Here are a few tried-and-true ways I have found to get those images that stay with you as your kids grow and change.
1) Make it easy
This will mean you need to step into your child’s shoes for a minute. What is their happiest time of day? Plan do do your shoot for that time. Have their favorite snacks on hand. Know what motivates them- I am not above bribery with my own kids! This year during a client session, one genius momma wrapped a secret “prize” in a bag that was easily visible during the shoot. Once it was all over, I got to give her son the prize to open- and I can’t tell you how wonderfully it worked! Of course, I can bet at least one of my kids would have screamed for the bag the whole time, so this method may not be a great idea for everyone.
Another way you can make it easy is to consider what your children will be wearing. If they are not shoe-lovers, just embrace it and let them go barefoot. If they are in an uncomfortable outfit, you will see it in the photos- kids have no problem letting us know when they are unhappy. 🙂 Make it easy on them and you by dressing them in comfortable clothes they can be themselves in. If you have a special outfit you’d like them to wear- do a test drive and let them wear it around the house so they can get used to it.
2) Plan your location ahead of time
Consider your background before you even shoot. You will save yourself a lot of frustration by shooting outside. Most of my work is shot on-location outdoors, and so I love to “find the pretty light”. You’ll want to avoid harsh sunlight and look for shady spots, where the light is more even- such as the side of a building or underneath a tree or porch. I love shooting with backlight (when the sun is behind my subject). Backlight creates a pretty glow and a very flattering shade on the face. The easiest times of the day to find pretty sunlight are an hour or so after sunrise and an hour before sunset (also known as the “golden hour”).
If you need to shoot indoors, have your child cuddle up to a large window and soak up that natural light. You can get some beautiful dramatic shadows with this type of image. Open up your blinds and curtains, and turn off overhead lights that tend to create a yellow-orange cast on the skin.
3) Curb your expectations
This is likely the MOST important tip I can give. I tell parents frequently that kids have built-in time limits. In general, you can add a 0 to a child’s age- and that’s about how many minutes of “happy time” they have to give you. So, if your child is 1 or under- you have around 10 minutes before they will have another need that must be met (Moms- amiright?!?). If your child is 2- they have 20 minutes, and so on. The best thing you can do for yourself and your child is to understand their time limit and work with it.
Keep your shoot short and sweet. Don’t expect to do more than 1 outfit in one 20 minute period. If your child throws a tantrum, shoot it! One of my most cherished photos of my son was a time when I wanted to photograph him in the pretty light of our foyer and he preferred to do anything else- of course he cried, and I photographed it- and I still love those images today, because they remind me of my almost 2 year old who had a mind and agenda of his own!
4) Distract them
Kids don’t generally understand the “sit still and smile” routine- and even when they do it produces some pretty cheesy smiles- not the real ones I love. So, to get a real reaction I let them play! When you give your kids something to do- like lick a giant lollipop, play hide and seek, or blow bubbles, you’ll have the opportunity to capture their real expressions and also distract them from the fact that they are being photographed.
If I’m needing a child to look into my camera, I’ll tell them a silly story (which usually doesn’t even make sense) that will capture their interest- if only for a few seconds so I can capture their intense look. Or try a staring contest- they almost always end in a smile and giggle!
5) Use a low aperture and high shutter speed
Your camera’s settings have everything to do with the technical quality of your images and whether or not you are able to freeze action and get your kids in focus. In general, you will want to use a low aperture (especially if you are shooting indoors) so that you are able to let in as much light as possible. This will also create a beautiful blurry background (we call it “bokeh”). Much of your aperture settings will be controlled by what lens you are shooting with and how low of an aperture you are able to accomplish with that lens.
A higher shutter speed setting will mean that you are able to freeze the motion of your kids and get a nice sharp subject.
If you’d like to know more about your camera’s settings and what equipment you’ll need to capture your kids well, I just launched a new online camera course! In this course I teach you how to shoot your camera in manual mode and I do my best to make it fun, simple and non-fussy. I am a mom and don’t have a lot of time, so I’ve set up the course so that you can do it at your own pace when you have time to do it.
The course begins Nov. 15 and runs through Dec. 15. For more info, watch the video here: https://www.lissaanglin.com/howtoworkit
Now I want to answer a few FAQ!
“What camera do you use?”
I use a Canon Rebel T3i. I am not opposed to upgrading now that I know a little bit about how to use it, but the price hasn’t been right yet! 😉 I also use the 50mm/1.4 lens which is LIFE-CHANGING. Also, I use all of Lissa’s tips because I’ve taken her course and it’s SO HELPFUL!!! (click those links for price/buying info!)
“How do you get your kids to smile?”
I do what Lissa does. And bribery. I don’t care if a half eaten donut is in the photo…. 😉 Makes a good memory!
“What editing software do you use?”
When using my DSLR, I edit in Adobe LightRoom…but I’m not very good! Lissa promised me to have an course on this soon 🙂
As for iPhone photos, I have a list of apps that I plan to share soon! Stay tuned! 😉
“Why did you purchase a DSLR?”
I wanted to take good photos of my kids that I would actually print out. It took me over a year to learn how to use the camera, and maybe another year to learn how to use it the right way! Now I LOVE it!!
If you’re interested in signing up for Lissa’s course, you can get $25 by using this link – HERE !
And if you’re really wanting to learn more, enter to WIN a FREE spot in Lissa’s e-course! Just follow the steps in tool below!
Thank you for being awesome and sticking around today for some tips! Lissa will have SO many more tips and helpful information in her e-course! I actually took her course about a year ago and it was incredibly helpful in learning my camera and taking photos of my kids!
Pin these for reference!
