How to photograph your children at home

Apr 24

My last post with tips for photographing your children was over three years ago!

It’s definitely for an update. Back then it was during lockdown and I was using the time to do some black-and-white photography of my family. It was a tough time for many of us. Since then we have added a second golden retriever (@sunnyandcoop), and moved to a larger studio, my girls are in 5th grade!!

One thing I’ve noticed is that photographing my children now is much different than it was from toddlers though about second grade. Now that they’re a bit older and their photos will be recognizable for many years, I no longer post their photos online.

Newborns:

The number one rule is not to photograph newborns ‘up the nose’. If you look at my newborn photos you can see they never show the nostrils.
Angles. Many pro photographers struggle with this and it can take years of practice but try different angles instead of just straight on.
Window light early morning or late in the day - the best light is just after sunrise or just before sunset.
On the other hand, I often embrace the bright light and harsh shadows. Just don’t try to fake it with bad light.
Use portrait mode on your phone
If you have a pro camera check out my online photo school where you can learn to master your camera. Many photographers start out because they enjoy photographing their kids so much.

Babies & Toddler

This a fun time to photograph children because they are changing and developing so quickly
Experiment with light, try backlit with sunset or sunrise or black and white portrait backlit with a window
One of the sweetest is having a baby or toddler looking out the window at an angle, makes for a gorgeous photo!
As a rule I NEVER ask a child to smile, it actually saps their joy and prevents getting those natural expressions that really represent their personality

Toddlers

Young children

Wait for it… While it’s tempting to click away, more often the images are best when you wait for the moment that is more impactful
Mornings and late afternoons. Generally the morning and evening light is better. If shooting midday, just embrace the harsh light and make it part of the image. The best light, of course, is during that golden hour before sunset.
Natural expressions. Refrain from asking kids to smile or scolding them - I see it all the time and it instantly changes the children’s expressions to less joyful or natural. Instead, tell them a joke, ask them to turn slightly, use the simple less strict directions
Everyday moments. These are often just the best! If you practice it’s possible to set up a scene and then see what unfolds and capture great imagery.
On phones, use portrait mode. This has less distortion to natural facial features.
On cameras, use 50mm or higher, preferably 70mm or higher!
Angles and cropping. Play around with cropping and angles. It can completely change the emotion of an image.

What to do with those image?

Make a baby book for your newborn (we sell one!)