May 2008

Snap to It! 10 Tips for Perfect Photos

By Emily Weiss

Everyone wants great pictures of their kids. So why do you feel that even though you invested in a brand new digital camera, your images still look flat and boring? Here are a few quick tips to take better pictures of your kids and get the most out of the digital technology.

1. Sun, beautiful sun. Photography, when you break it down, is really about capturing the light. Find the good light, and your photos will improve exponentially. The best light for portraits is natural light, aka sunshine.

Start outside where the sunshine lives. Professional photographers talk about the “golden hours” as the best time for beautiful outdoor light. The golden hours are the hour just before sunset and the hour just after sunrise. The light during this time is soft and creates an even, golden hue on your subjects.

2. Hang out under the trees. However, the golden hour for light is not usually the golden hour for children; in fact, it is almost the opposite. So what to do if your child is happy and cooperative only in the middle of the day? Head for the trees. The trick with midday portraits is to look for what the pros call open shade. This could be under a canopy of trees or on the side of a building. Look for light that is bright and falls evenly across your child’s face. The worst thing is to place your kids in direct sunlight. Direct sunlight will make your kids squint and create harsh shadows across their faces.

3. Turn off the lights. What to do if the weather isn’t cooperating and you can’t go outside? To find the best light inside, turn off all artificial light sources. Ever wonder why when you take pictures inside everyone looks really yellow or orange? The most likely culprit is artificial light. Artificial light can cause a color cast that makes skin tones look really unnatural. So, unless you want the space age look, turn off all overhead lights, lamps and especially florescent lights. This also applies to your built-in flash. Next, look for spots by large windows. Large windows diffuse the light coming in from the outside. If you can read a book comfortably without turning on the lights, then you have found a good spot even if it is raining.

4. No more cheese. It is ingrained in the minds of kids (and grown-ups) to say “Cheese!” when they see a camera. In reality, the forced “cheesy” smiles rarely look flattering or natural. Instead, try to make your kids laugh. You know what gets them going – silly jokes, singing the words to their favorite song backwards, tickling them in their favorite spot, making gross noises – anything that will make your child erupt into a mound of giggles. The natural laughs and giggles will look and feel so much more real in a photograph than a cheesy smile – plus it makes the process a lot more fun for everyone.

5. Get down and dirty and up close and personal. Most parents stand up above the action and point their camera down. To capture images of your kids that make you feel like you are part of that scene, you have to get down on their level. Sit down on the floor. Put the camera down for a minute and watch your children. Play with them, talk to them and engage them in an activity. When they have forgotten about the camera and are just being themselves, start shooting.

6. Keep it simple. Too often in our everyday pictures, there is just too much going on in the image to find the focus – your children. In order to isolate the focus to just your children, keep the background as simple as possible. Fill the frame with your children’s faces to help block out any other distracting elements. Keep clothing simple, too. Busy patterns, stripes and checks can distract the viewer’s eye from the beauty of your child’s face.

7. Forget the center, think thirds. One way to make your photos more visually interesting, dynamic and professional looking is to use the rule of thirds. The basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to break down your image into thirds. Envision two horizontal and two vertical lines trisecting an image with four intersecting points, like a grid. Some digital cameras have a built-in grid that you can superimpose over the viewfinder or LCD display to help you. If your camera does not have a grid overlay, place your subject about one-third distance from the edge of the frame, and try to place the most visually important parts of your subject where the lines intersect. Studies have shown that when viewing images, people’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection points rather than the center of the shot.

8. Not all negatives are bad. Negative space can help add a visual interest to your photos. Negative space is basically just empty space in your photos. It can be used as a way to bring perspective, direct the viewer’s eye and help define the subject. Negative space gives your viewer's eye a place to rest. It strengthens your image composition because it directs the viewer right to the subject – your child.

9. Back it up baby! Treat your memories the same way you would any other important data on your computer – back them up. Back up your images to a CD or DVD and keep it in a safe place. Don’t learn this lesson the hard way by losing your baby’s first birthday party photos.

10. Don’t stop the presses! In the digital age, we have gotten used to downloading our digital media card, uploading our images to our computer or an online photo sharing service and sending family and friends a link to view our photos. When was the last time you actually printed out a set of prints for yourself? And if plain old photo albums are not your thing, try making your own coffee-table style book. Many online photo-sharing sites can help you create a book or an album so you have a hard copy of all your images. With a simple click of the mouse, you can print extra copies of the book and be a hero with the grandparents for no extra work.

Emily Weiss is a modern children's portrait photographer in the D.C. metropolitan area. She specializes in babies and children of all ages. Visit her website at www.emilyweissphotography.com.