Fun ideas to take great photos of children
For all of us, capturing our childrens photos can be the most enjoyable of activies. And their photos are some of our proudest possessions. At the same time we all wish we could photograph children the way professionals do.
The following tips help you avoid common errors we all make while taking photos of kids, and also includes a few fun ideas to try out, to get that snap you will treasure for ever!
How good is your camera?
An advanced camera is of course an advantage, but comes at the bottom of the list when considering what you need for a great photograph. Just consider all the great photographs taken by people years ago , when the cameras were not so advanced as today.
The most important part is to have a subject that looks beautiful and you’re passionate about - and what better than your children!. No photographer can compete with your passion for something which is the most important to you.
Take children to places where they love to be
We know that it’s very difficult to make children stand still in one place - but its also a great advantage- imagine how difficult it is to get ‘grown up’ people to relax for a photo :). Its better to choose a location where children would be at ease, like a park or a playground.
Have enough space to move around
If you are shooting indoors, make sure that the room is spacious – so that both you and the children can move freely .The room should have good natural lighting, or an alternative to light up the place. Arrange all the props and backgrounds in advance and don’t keep kids waiting - they hate to waste time!
Let kids decide the pose
Children can be far more imaginative in coming up with poses than we can - here are some tips to help them decide the pose -
Focus on the eyes.
Children naturally have expressive and innocent eyes (Adults have to make it up 
Play games
Play games like hide-and-seek with them and capture the excitement they have in their face when they find you. Just make sure you have the camera ready - children can be lightning quick!
Give them some time
Step back and give children some time to get busy with something they like doing - they can find something interesting to do with almost anything, or anyplace. Take a snap when they don’t realise your watching. Its one of the rare occasions you can get them with grown-up-like expressions.
Tell children to close their eyes for some time. And even think about something, like a color or an animal. When they open their eyes the expression they show would be fantastic.
Ask them questions they love to answer
Ask children about something they like to talk about- like winning a game at school. Expressions like happiness and pride are so natural when they answer your questions. Also watch kids get animated and move their hands about as they describe things. Children asked to stand still often feel awkward since they dont know what to do with their hands, and they end up pulling their hair and look uncomfortable.
Tell them something funny
Making children laugh is quite tough, because they listen closely and will probably ask you questions before you reach the ending. One trick is to tell a story of something funny that happened to you - children love to laugh at adults and advice them - one time they get to give some advice back!.
Give them something they like
This one’s easy - ask them what they want - almost all kids have a long list ready! It could be a toy or even some icecream. But the cost is nothing compared to the priceless expression of joy on their face.
Be sensitive to their moods
We often don’t respect the fact that children can have bad moods too. (ever pulled a babies cheek when its crying?) And unlike grown ups, they don’t hide it - they honestly tell you to leave them alone, even if they havent even started talking yet! - just go back when they are past it. They are so innocent that they often forget about what made them cry
Get children together
Having more than one child during the photo shoot, is both an oppurtunity and a challenge - depending on their age. Take snaps of them playing with each other, or give them a small competition - maybe as to who gives you the best pose for the photo. Just make sure both of them win the prize!
See kids’ world through their eyes
At their height, children see a totally different perspective of things around them.Crouch or stand on the knee and see them as they see the world. Taking a photo from a top angle, shows only the floor apart from the child, and an overhead perspective creates distance from them.
Make maximum use of daylight
Kids look natural in daylight. Flashlights may distract them and cause them to interrupt the activity they are involved in. Use thermocol sheets to bounce the light, which gives you a soft look, gradation and finer details.
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