Kids Photography: Why & How You Should Take Pictures Of Your Children

As much as parents love their children, it breaks their heart knowing that the little bundle of joy will be so little only for a while and the intense joy they’re experiencing will soon become a distant memory. The transitory moments that bring us pure joy and happiness are here today but will be gone tomorrow. And the only way to hold these magical events is through beautiful photographs, seizing the momentary essence of their lives.

Photographing children is indeed a rewarding task but at the same time, it’s extremely difficult as well. Even the simplest kids photoshoot starts with giggling and pouting but ends in tears. Yet, the ongoing struggle of making them pose and clicking still pictures makes it worthy to be cherished for a lifetime.

In this article, we’re going to shed light upon the importance of and reasons for clicking good pictures of your kids, some photography and activity ideas for them, and lastly, a few tips and tricks on kids photography.

Read on!

Why You Should Click Pictures Of Your Kids: Top 4 Reasons

Photographs are priceless gifts that remind us how much we’re loved and how blessed we’re for having each other. And who comes first in this picture than kids? After years when they’ll grow up, photographs can definitely be the only way to tell the story of their childhood and its beautiful memories. Certainly, we are not able to stop the passage of time but through photographs, we can remember the wonderful days in the future.

Apart from these reasons, here we present the top 4 reasons for kids photoshoot and why you as parents should take photos of your children more often!

1. The Love You Share With Each Other

Yes, this is probably the most important reason to take pictures of your kids. A photograph is worth hundreds of words and the relationship you share with your kids is the most unique of them all. Imagine how much a photo of your infant with complete adoration will mean to them after they grow up. Saying “I love you” certainly means a lot but a photograph is an enduring memory of that love.

2. Walking Down The Memory Lane

Modern family life is quite at a hectic pace. We hardly remember how our kids looked a year or two ago. Photographs do not only give us a glimpse into the past but they also bring us back to that particular moment. Remember how proud and overwhelmed you felt when you first held your kids in your arms? Photos can take you to that moment in an instant, be it celebrating baby’s first birthday or celebrating family togetherness.

3. Boosting Self-Esteem

It’s remarkable to see how an upliftment of self-esteem and confidence comes to a child when their parents display their photographs around the home. Your kids understand that you’ve accumulated the efforts and time to take their pictures. As a result, it brings a sense of value to them with an understanding that you find them beautiful and want to cherish their beauty forever.

4. Documentation Of The Memories

How often do you go through the folders full of photos on your hard drive or scroll through your phone’s gallery? Hard drives can crash and valuable photographs can be lost forever. Why should you miss the opportunity to put all those beautiful faces on a piece of paper and keep them intact for a lifetime? Print them out and you have the museum of adorable artwork right at your home!

Read More : 5 Important Reasons You Should Print Your Photos

How To Take Professional Pictures Of Kids

Kids are full of endless amounts of energy and this is what makes children photography a challenging task. They do not usually like posing for the camera because they are too busy doing something they like. Everything happens at a very fast pace making it difficult to capture the moment.

As a result, we get blurry and out-of-focus pictures. A “look at the camera and smile” does not work with a kids photoshoot and is much different from a powerful child portrait.

Therefore, the key is taking candid pictures of them while engaging them with different fun activities. This way, a true portrait can be captured reflecting your child’s energy, personality, and uniqueness.

Fun Activity Ideas For Kids Photography

In children photoshoot, the first and foremost requirement is to keep them interested and engaged in the things they love the most. This will showcase their natural and truest self framed in a photograph. Below we introduce some of the activities that can help click great pictures of your kid.

For instance, activities that would require them to sit still and concentrate such as painting, playing with toys, building blocks, card and board games, treasure hunting, jigsaw puzzles, riding bicycles, etc.

Is your kid into art? Bring paper, finger paint, and an apron. Is your kid obsessed with animals? Bring a stuffed toy or ask them to get their favourite toy to play with during the whole session.

Location is another factor in this case as the right surroundings and atmosphere can make a kid happy and comfortable. When you first plan a kids photoshoot, think about a location that they particularly like. There may be a park that has your kid’s favorite swing set. Or a path that they like walking around.

Having props on hand in a comfortable environment will ensure the entertainment of the child. It’ll make them feel relaxed in front of the camera as they have something familiar to play with.

Top 5 Tips To Photograph Uncooperative Kids

In spite of the nagging worries such as - should we take so many pictures of our kids? Will it make them more self-conscious? How should we use photos? and so on, taking pictures of children is not really a concern, according to developmental psychologists and experts. What ultimately matters is how the pictures are being taken and in what context.

Check out these genuine new born baby photoshoot ideas for successfully photographing the little ones in your home!

1. Frame Them As They Are, Not How You Wish Them To Be

The real beauty of children photoshoot is capturing them the way they actually are. And the best photos are often unplanned. Children don’t typically fake their emotions and this is what makes their portraits stand out from adults.

Hence, their candid moments should be captured as kids are best photographed when they are laughing, playing, or simply smiling in their natural environment. Peek-a-boo is a perfect example in this regard for capturing a giggling face!

2. Scrap The Pose Guide

With kids photography, one thing must always be constant - going with the flow. Get rid of the pose book right away and let them be who they are. If kids are not getting the idea of the shoot, just move on with something else.

And if a shot is set up, click their pictures even if it doesn't get perfect. This will prevent your kid from thinking that they’ve made a mistake and from getting stressed in future shots.

3. A Little Silliness Doesn't Do Any Harm

While photographing kids, becoming a bit kiddish with them can go a long way. Let the session loose, joke and goof around them, make them laugh by singing a song, ask them questions, and so on. Rather than instructing them to look at the camera, tell them a story while clicking away. A playful approach is the key to taking amazing pictures of them.

4. The Wonders Of Natural Light & Natural Environment

Studios can be pretty intimidating for children. Therefore, a quiet outdoor location during the golden hours can be the best deal where light and shadows are good. Additionally, kids do not usually have the patience to sit and wait while you’re setting up your equipment and light shows.

5. Patience Is The Key

Children are now worried about what you’ll do after the shoot, so you shouldn’t be either. Give them time to be comfortable with the whole thing and this will eventually lead to more natural moments. They might be even shy at first or just not in the mood.

Hence, keep playing around and interacting with them until they’re comfortable. They’ll surely come around!

The Final Words!

It’s said that working with children is never easy. But when it comes to kids photography, nothing is more entertaining than this. Interestingly, when we ask people what prized possession they would rescue if their house is on fire, one of the most common answers is a photo album.

Apparently, the urge to save our documented memories is a very powerful force, something that tells us a lot about our desire to refine our purest memories into photographs. We tend to preserve important people and important events and the memories we take care of while our kids grow up are the most precious.

What’s stopping you from creating your personal story with your children? Download the Picsy app and create a timeline of your lives filled with their giggling and smiling faces. Ultimately, the photographs you take of your kids will come together to narrate the story of your lives. With exciting newborn baby photoshoot ideas and a varied range of photo products, go on and make your kids photo album today!