When you’re the official photographer or family photographer, you realize that you’re never in the photos, I feel much more comfortable behind a camera, toujours, in most cases I avoid exposing myself, however, there’s something that saddens me and it’s realizing the few photos I have with my daughter. By removing the “selfies” I can count on the fingers of my hand the photos I have with her that we are both focused on. His father has many virtues but photography is not part of them (he doesn’t care as much as I do about wearing a tennis racket).
If the same thing happens to you, you have no choice but to act and solve it now. This year, I offered to take at least one selfie per week (or at most every two weeks). And anyone who talks about selfies in a photo blog doesn’t talk about the ones you do stretching your arm with your cell phone, no, we’re talking about a decent self-portrait, with your real camera, that you love so much.
- Today I am going to give you some tips to take the best selfies with your children beyond a mobile shot.
- You stay.
- Right?.
It doesn’t really matter, a spontaneous photograph can be just as wonderful, what happens is that if you take care of certain details you have the opportunity to get better results, obviously you will not lose an emotional photo because I have not planned the background or the costumes, but if you are thinking of a session in a few days, try to choose the right place in terms of light (if you can photograph better with natural light than better) , decorated or even meaningfully based on what you want to tell.
Prepare clothes, make sure they are colors that do not conflict with the background or between them. Soft colors are better suited to babies because they convey more tenderness. That doesn’t mean you can’t use bright colors, but make sure they don’t kill each other!?Let alone to have your paper stolen.
Choose where you want to take the photo. Good for decoration, by light, because it means something special or because it is the background that best suits the image. Deletes any objects that interfere with the view. Concentrate well, because what may go unnoticed at first glance, in the photo will not be the case, this protruding cable, broomstick, shoebox or coat protruding from behind the door will ruin your photo.
If it is indoors, try to approach a good source of natural light
Once you’ve chosen the scene, make the right adjustments based on the conditions: aperture, speed, ISO, white balance, etc. As babies and children move something, try to use fast speeds, better if it’s greater than 100, so this photo doesn’t happen to you and your hand moves out, hiding the remote control and some members of your child as well.
Making all adjustments in advance and planning the environment before placing your toddler on the scene will prevent him from panicking prematurely.
This is the key. For now, you can focus on automatic mode, if your little one is able to hold on without moving, you can focus on it, if it’s too small (or active) for this, it’s better to place a doll, a stuffed animal or similar to where you’re going to place and focus manually or automatically by pulling the trigger halfway. Now that you have the exact point in focus, change the focus to manual and there will be no unwanted refocus.
As much as I love the large openings and their corresponding bokeh and blurs, this time I have to recommend using slightly smaller openings if you don’t want to find a sad blur on your faces. Use openings (number “f”) of 5. 6 or more. You can record the blur loss using softer backgrounds or leaving a greater distance between them and you, this way you make sure that even if it is not too blurry, at least it does not remove too much weight.
Place the camera on the tripod. Not that a tripod is a must, but it’s a big help. You can also use another family member to hold the camera at the height and distance you want, but I know few people with as much patience and good pulse as a tripod. ?
I recommend the timer exclusively if you do not have the option of getting a remote trigger, it is not for nothing, but if it is already a roll to make a self-portrait with the timer where you have to run from one place to another and several times go “in motion”, yes To that you add that you have to be aware of a baby or a child, the task is really complicated. You’re probably giving up.
The best thing you can do is a remote trigger and use the delay option, as those few seconds in the margin will help you release or hide the remote even if it’s making a fist. The first time you can get regu, but then you understand the shot.
Some cameras have the ability to take photos at time intervals, which is widely used for time-lapse photography. You can schedule it to fire, for example, every ten seconds. There are also remote triggers with intervals. If you have any of these options. , use it, so you can relax, play with your little one and get much more spontaneous images.
Once all the adjustments have been made, the camera is well placed on the tripod, focusing, and you’ve thought more or less about the type of photo you want, it’s time to engage your child Never before!
Although I’ve told you about photo planning and preparing some details, this is something not to notice in the photo. Make sure the situation feels spontaneous, that someone else is pulling and doesn’t even know it. Your photo will surely be much more interesting than if you showed up looking at the camera.
When you’re older, your baby won’t expect to find you in a makeup photo, elegantly dressed or fresh out of the barbershop. What your child wants is to have a photo (or several) with you, the moments they spent together, shared laughter, reading stories or jumping in the garden, whether in a haute couture suit or jeans, with dished or freshly shaved hair, the most important thing is smile, affectionate gestures, closeness. it’ll be worth it in 30 years (or more), that’s what they’ll want to remember from you.
If your toddler is over three years old or old enough to press the button (and will surely give you the trigger), let him “play” a little. In this case, it may be convenient to disable burst shooting because while your finger gets stuck, do you load the memory of the card in the blink of an eye ?, it will be fun for him, you will be able to relax, and he will also feel that he is helping you, participating and who knows. As in the future, do you end up sharing a hobby?
Let creativity take over you and your photo will thank you. With children there are no rules, so with the images in which they appear there should be none. Lower your tripod to its height even if you cut off your body every day. Situations. Release the floor and throw it to the ground. Shoot from back, up and down. Capture your daily life from all angles, without a script, just with your heart.
You can also photograph from your own point of view, so you don’t need the tripod, but you need a wide angle that covers your hands or feet while lifting your baby or helping him or her take his or her first steps (see this example).
Unless we talk about a baby who doesn’t move, watch out for the equipment, dropping the camera from the top of the tripod can be a good task (I still suffer the consequences of one of these focus falls. And if that wasn’t the case, isn’t it enough, trying to create photos for this post, did he suffer another fall?). Repeat, be careful!
You can propose a family documentation exercise. Spend a day where you plan to be home to immortalize your routines. Take the tripod wherever you go (from the kitchen to the bathroom, living room or bedroom) and photograph, capture every activity of your daily life. a story your kids will love when they’re big will it also help you discover the most photogenic places in your home?
Another idea is to leave everything ready at night so you can capture the moment of awakening. You may not have the best face, but these moments are so special and wonderful that in a few years you will be grateful to have done so.
Can you make yourself a self-portrait in the places that interest you: your little one’s favorite park, where he took his first steps, the first excursion, his favorite corner of the house?
Buy the same suit, identical pajamas or the same shirt, it is also a fun photo.
You still have some ideas on this Pinterest board
This session is not to win a Pullitzer, it is to have a good memory and have a good time with your son, if you don’t get what you expected don’t get overwhelmed, it will come out another day. obsessed with technical details, enjoy the moment and feel it, this will be what will most be reflected in your image.
What problems can you have? Well, listen, I tell you everything that happened to me today to try to capture something nice for this post, the day was so cloudy that it seemed to darken and so it stayed until night fell. As a result my little one gave the stopwatch because he caught me the first time and there was no way to release it, however careful I was, between being a little clumsy and having an earthquake at home, all the equipment fell to the ground (camera, tripod and flash). As you can see, it wasn’t the day.
Solutions If you don’t have enough natural light, you can try shooting another day or using a handheld flash (avoid the built-in camera at all costs).
If your child moves as much as mine, you have no choice but to use wide frames (wide live angles), small openings (high “f” number) and fast speeds, of course, for that you will need to increase the ISO or shoot outside.
Whoever wants to take over, let him shoot until he gets tired, don’t fight, when he gets tired of shooting, it’s your turn.
If someone can take care of your little one so that you prepare everything with peace of mind, better than better (this may be the only way to get a proper prefocus).
What if you want to eat? Well, you take a break (but in half), you don’t release the shutter, you can take the best picture of the day. In fact, it’s the most decent thing that came out today, did I ever tell you it wasn’t the day?
Is this the best solution for everything?
And practice, every time, you’ll get better (and prettier).
If you liked this article, share it, today’s kids will thank you tomorrow, and the fall of my camera won’t have been in vain?Thank you and soon!