“I feel Like I’m just chasing after my toddler around the house, trying to snap pictures and missing everything!”
Do you feel frustrated taking family photos at home, envisioning great shots, but getting shots where your toddler is half out of the photo, and you’re sweating and defeated?!
Well, as a family and newborn photographer, I’ve learned how to get those photos you dream of getting. And I have suggestions to help YOU take better family photos the next time you pick up your own camera.
1. PLAN AHEAD WITH SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES TO DO
If you just follow your child around the house, seeing what she’ll do, it will just not work. The light won’t be the best, and your little one won’t know what to do either!
When you want to take photos of your family, it’s best to plan a list of some things you’ll do, whatever is age-appropriate for your child. In this session I recently did with a 10 month old baby, I planned ahead with his mom, and she was prepared to have her baby do these things:
- Play in a sunny spot on the rug
- Sit on the couch so their baby could look out the window
- Play with their dog near a window, with beautiful light
- Eat a snack in his highchair
- End our session with a fun bath in the tub! (Cute rubber duckie included!)
By planning these activities, we weren’t there, wondering what to do. The mom was ready for those things to happen, and had what she needed. I was ready with my camera, in the best light, to get magical, glowing shots that were authentic, capturing her son’s natural expressions.
Of course, if their baby wasn’t interested at the moment, we just moved on to the next activity. No pressure to do everything we planned! The idea is to have enough ideas planned, to be able to do just the things that her baby wanted to do! Baby has the final say!! 🙂
2. IS EVERYONE RESTED AND FED?
On the day you’re planning to take photos, don’t plan a lot of other things for your family to do. You probably don’t want your toddler to have library story hour or a play group. Those things take energy, and may leave your little one a worn out and fussy when it’s time for photos.
Likewise, think about when your children nap. Maybe early morning is best, if that’s a time when your child is happy and rested. Or maybe a bit after that morning nap is ideal. Generally, earlier in the day is better than later. But, parents, you know that already!! One more thing – allow for a bit of waking up time after a nap, before jumping into photos. Let your child adjust long enough to not feel upset about all the excitement of photos.
A full tummy is always a good thing. Don’t let the hangrys creep up! Before you want to take photos, give your child something nourishing, preferably something low in sugar. You definitely don’t want a sugar rush and then the inevitable crash. Try to choose something not messy, and nothing that will stain your little one’s face purple! I always recommend feeding your child before you all get dressed in what you’ll wear for your family photos.
Need some good ideas for healthy go-to for your kiddos? I found a great article here. I think it was loads of great suggestions, (but of course, you and your child’s doctor know what is right for you.)
3. CHOOSE COMFY CLOTHING
There’s nothing worse than itchy, tight, stiff clothes when you’re playing with your children. As a family photographer, I guide parents to be comfortable – plan your clothes beforehand, and be sure you can sit on the ground, bend down and snuggle you kiddos in your clothes. Soft fabrics, easy, relaxed sizing are key to not having to think about your clothing during photos. I recommend bare feet indoors, or socks if you prefer. And kids in bare feet are always so cute!
You want the clothes of anybody being photographed to feel suitable for relaxing at home. What would you normally wear? Do that!
4. FOLLOW THE LIGHT
Almost any home will have enought light for beautiful family photos, as long as you pull up the shades, open curtains, and keep the activities near windows or open doors (but watch that little ones don’t escape!)
When I photograph indoors, I always turn off all indoor lighting. The reason I do this is to minimize unwanted color casts and achieve a cleaner, more natural look. Artificial lights can have different color temperatures than natural light, which can create unnatural skin tones or slightly change the colors in the room.
The window brings beautiful light to his face
BUT, If it’s dark enough that you think you’ll need to turn lights on, in addition to the light from windows, that’s fine. Unless you’re going to be using editing software on your digital shots, where you can increase the exposure later, don’t worry if you need more light than windows alone. I prefer putting on lights instead of using the flash on your camera. Flashes can really create harsh light on someone, and also startle! Not the look you want for your photos, right?
Would it help to see how I’ve used natural light from windows in my indoor photography? In my galleries, you can see lots of ways to work with your home’s natural light.
I hope these photography tips help. As much as we want to capture spontaneous, natural photos of our children, we also need to plan ahead. You’ll still have natural, authentic expressions, full of wonder, fun, and emotion! But you just need to set yourself up for success by preparing your family, and anticipating what your loved ones will need.
Good luck! You’ve got this! With good planning, and flexibility for when things go differently than you envision, you can definitely take family photos that will take your breath away!
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