Taking Perfect Pictures of Your Kids

Taking Perfect Pictures of Your Kids

Every mother thinks her kids are the cutest and most beautiful, and would love to capture their innocent beauty for eternity. Which mother doesn’t dream of portraits of her children that are dreamy and sweet? Taking professional pictures can be expensive and come with aggravation, as the kids don’t always cooperate, and they may act up during the costly photo shoot. There are some tips and tricks that can transform simple home-shot photos into masterpieces.

The Right Camera for the Job

Different cameras have various specifications that make them specialized for certain situations. Before purchasing a camera, do the research necessary to help you get a camera to fit your needs. The average novice mommy should consider point-and-shoot cameras from leading brands such as Canon and Sony. Online forums such as the Sony camera forum provide a wealth of information on Sony cameras, lenses, and accessories. Point and shoot cameras today come in compact versions that will fit into any handbag. Unless you’re a professional photographer you don’t need an expensive camera, like the Sony Alpha. You want a camera that will offer options to suit different lighting and settings, but still simple enough that you don’t have to set everything manually.

Go get the Camera!

This is certainly a catchphrase for every mother; your child is suddenly taking his first step or being incredibly cute and everyone scrambles to find the camera. With kids, you never know when the perfect candid shot will present itself. Keep your camera always charged, with an empty SD card inside, and the right settings programmed. Keep it in a designated spot so it’s easy to find, and throw it into the diaper bag when leaving the house so it’s always on hand.

Monthly Montage

A great way to keep track of your child’s growth is by designating a specific day of every month as photo day for the first year of your child’s life. Choose a designated teddy bear or toy and on that day, dress your baby in a cute outfit and snap some pictures of him in relation to the teddy bear. The theory of relativity is very popular in photography. By taking pictures of your child and the same toy this theory comes in to play. By your baby’s first birthday you’ll have an adorable montage of photos in which your baby develops, first sitting next to the teddy bear, then holding it, crawling over it, etc.

Black and White

Newborn babies are often unattractive little creatures any way you slice it. They may have red skin, bumps and bruises and strange hair. Taking black and white photos will naturally smooth out some of the blemishes and soften the photo altogether. The black and white effect also serves to make the baby appear cuddlier. When editing the photos you may also elect to soften the color somewhat, rather than making it entire grayscale. Softening the saturation and hues will give the image a softer look, with more pastel colors.

Obtaining perfect pictures of your kids doesn’t have to be the result of a tearful photo shoot with cranky kids. Keep your camera on hand and snap enough pictures, and you’ll end up with masterpieces of your own making.

Bio: Penny Talbot is a mother and lover of great baby pictures who recommends the Sony camera forum for excellent information on Sony cameras. She has a collection of monthly pictures of her son that are dear to her heart.