How to Take Awesome Photos. Photo Tips Moms Need.

Really, I should have just titled this post: How to Take Awesome Photos Of Things That Move (but nobody Googles that!).

Like your kids.

Or your pets.

Or just stuff.

Because, as I’m sure all of you who have actually tried to take excellent photos of stuff that moves know, it’s no easy task.

And, even if they agree to hold relatively still for like 8-10 seconds while you snap a shot or two, capturing photos of your kids (or your pets) that you will love for years to come is tough.

You know because they do that fugly lookin’ fake smile-grimace-growl thingy that makes ‘em look like they have turd-tongue despite the fact that you’ve coached them through tons of times move.

So, Dumb Mom (aka @thenagainphoto on Twitter for a reason) is here to lend a helping hand!

Now, I’m not gonna say that after reading this every person is going to be able to take stunningly gorgeous kid photos (I’ve been earning my lattes doing photography for two full years already and I still don’t think I’m all that).  Because, way I see it, photography is similar to other art.

It’s the artist,  NOT THE CAMERA (although it does help) that is taking the photos.  To me, when people say insulting things like, “You have such a good camera and I wish I had one too so I could take photos like you” it’s the camera, it’s like saying Picasso was the shiz because he used kicka$$ paint brushes.

Um, riiight. It was the brushes.

So yeah, you follow these rules and you probably won’t wind up being able to take shots like me a notable professional, but you might be better at it a little at least.

Dumb Mom’s Guide to Taking Awesome Photos of Your Kids Even if They Move A Lot and Smile Ugly Refuse to Smile

1.  Don’t Be Scurd.  I am a self taught photographer which basically means that I learned everything I know from using the crap outta my camera.  My first year with my first DSLR I took over 6000 photos with it.  And lots of those were of the same thing: The Dudes.  I encourage people who are trying to improve their photography to try tons of different shots with the same subject.  Stand on a rock, lay on the ground, tilt your camera, get closer.

Don’t be afraid to experiment.  If it sucks you can always just erase it and pretend it never happened.

2.  Let ‘em Work It.  Great photos don’t need to be overly posed to be awesome, and they don’t have to be perfect.  As a matter of fact, I believe quite the opposite to be true.  The Dudes have been expertly trained in how to “work the camera” and “shaking what your mama gave you”.  And, I graduate kids from the Dumb Mom School of Workin’ It on a regular basis!

Even better, don’t even let ‘em know you’re there.  Capturing candid, kids on-the-go shots is a pretty good recipe for great photos too!

3.  Get A Prop.  Not an okey looking sleigh like “that-one-photo-studio” likes to use.

Something natural, and fun, and indicative of your kid’s personal style would be WAY better.

4.  Be Fun.  Wear bright colors.  Make a funny face.  Tell a joke.  Capture an action shot.  There’s not a law that says your family photos have to be overly posed shots of you, your husband, and your kids wearing khaki shorts and white shirts on the beach.  Put your daughter in snazzy, bright tights.  Have your husband toss your son on in the air.  Family photos are supposed to be unique to the family, not propped up in front of a gray backdrop like every. Single. Person. Before you.

5.  Relax.  Let’s say you get the kids dressed in their finest duds and head out to the park for a “shoot” only to arrive and have someone throw a tantrum, slip in mud, or refuse to smile.  So you will want to toss them off a bridge the heck what.  Let ‘em scream, take their shirt off (provided they are male or at least haven’t started sprouting boobies yet!), snap pictures of their pouty faces.

The shots may come out MUCH cuter than you imagined, you will probably appreciate the story that goes along with them (one day), and if they do wind up sucking badly, you can delete them and go back next weekend.

Bonus tip: Edit those bad boys.  I mean really, do you think my photos come straight outta my camera with this sassy little vintage feel on ‘em.  Um, no.  I go into my handy daddy photo editing software program that costs a pinky toe or two and edit them like a mofo.  Ain’t no shame in my game.  And there shouldn’t be in yours either.  Because you too could be the owner of edited to cuteness shots like these with just the press of a button or, em like 18 buttons, to be something like exact!  Point is, there is nothing wrong with post processing your photos to up their awesome.  All the pros do it and you can too!

Have a super photo of your little person in their Halloween costume (this year or a year gone by) you’re dying to share?  Enter it in my Happily (un)Haunted Halloween Photo Contest (PRIZE ANNOUNCEMENT SET FOR WEDNESDAY 10/6!).

Share your tips too this and every Tuesday here for Mom Tip Tuesday…

 

Tagged as: blog photo awesome, how to take better photos, making your kids look like they don't suck, photo tips