Ideas for Taking Amazing Photographs of Kids!
If you love the idea of making a set of themed pages of your little one, then create an on-the-spot photo shoot wherever you happen to be. Grab a few colourful or distinct pieces of clothing, objects or accessories, and get going!
Three Tips for Choosing Fun Accessories and Props
1. Choose a special piece of clothing, a showy hat, a doll or toy, or even simply a few flowers or other natural materials that your infant or young child can hold, wear, on interact with. Hats don’t need to stay on the young one’s head, either—capture your young one in action twirling it in their hands or throwing it in the air—or putting it on the family pet! The great thing about a simple accessory is that it will be in a series of photos and that translates really well onto the facing pages of a photobook where you need something to unify both pages.
2. Let your child interact: bring along a pet or go to a place like a petting zoo or beach that has tame or domestic animals your child can play with or run around after. If you have a playground nearby, go out on a clear and slightly overcast day to take advantage of the even and indirect light. Umbrellas, sunglasses and simple take-alongs like buckets, sidewalk chalk or soap for blowing bubbles can make great inexpensive additions. For babies and younger infants, indoors can be just as rich a place to explore. Set your toddler up on a colourful play mat or explore the nursery or the kitchen!
3. Get lots of action shots. Practice some special effects with your camera, like panning, or use the “sports” or action mode on your camera to take a series of shots in quick succession. Try to get in close while your child is at play. Sports shots taken outside of formal practice or game situations are good too.
Costumes
If you can, borrow costumes from friends and family to use with younger kids, or hunt around your home, preschool, or the child’s school for fun props—but be sure to ask before borrowing anything, and be cautious about anything breakable! A few of my favourite props are musical instruments, angel and butterfly wings, a barrel for baby to sit in (or on!), simple colourful stools (two, at different heights if possible if you are working with siblings), top hats and tuxedos, princess get-ups, and other dress-up chest themes (wild west; animals and sea life; professions such as chef’s costumes or colourful uniforms). Don’t be shy about browsing through the catalogues or sites of photo studios specializing in family photography to get ideas for the specific things you would like to work with and that will be the best fit and also lots of fun for the child or children you want to photograph.
