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How to Take Better Smartphone Photos of Your Kids

When Smartphones first arrived on the scene, the inclusion of a tiny-pixelled camera seemed like a bit of a gimmick, but now the camera and its capabilities seem like a major consideration with each new model that is released. As the on-board camera capabilities improve, so do the photographs we take, and with all the hustle and bustle of our busy lives it seems like we depend more and more on our Smartphones to capture those important moments. So, how do you get the most out of your micro-sized Smartphone camera when it comes to taking photos of your kids?

Tip 1: Learn The Ropes

If you were to get a new camera, you’d probably spend some time learning how to use it, right? It’s no different with a Smartphone camera. Check out the settings, figure out how to zoom and focus, and practice getting the clearest photo possible.

Tip 2: Use the Rule of Thirds

Our tendency to take snapshots with our Smartphones is one major reason why Smartphone photos of our kids don’t have quite the same impact as one taken with a standard camera. All the same rules of composition apply – if you use them, starting with the rule of thirds (placing the major elements of your image in thirds, with the focal point away from the center) you’ll get a much more dynamic image.

Tip 3: Use Natural Light

Avoid using the “flash” on your Smartphone camera if at all possible – on the majority of cameras they just aren’t strong enough to affect images, unless your subject is right up close. Look for areas where natural light is strong – such as outdoors or near a window.

Tip 4: Experiment With Perspective

Since Smartphone cameras are so small, you can play around more with where you shoot from to get more interesting perspective shots of your kids. Try laying on the ground shooting up for a superhero-type perspective, or climb a wall or or climb a wall or head to the top of a staircase and shoot down for a different feel.

Tip 5: Find A Few Apps

Having some extra tools to help you improve your Smartphone photography is not a bad thing! You may want to have an app that gives you a bit more editing flexibility, but you can also find apps that help you take better photos. One highly-recommended app is called Camera Awesome by Smugmug, which combines functionality for composing, shooting and editing all in one easy-to-use app.

Tip 6: Use HDR (Sometimes)

The HDR feature will help you get a good image if you are working with shots where you have a lot of high/low contrast. It does this by taking several images at different exposures and combines them together. However, unless your kids can stay perfectly still for the succession of shots you’ll end up with a blurry final product – so it may be better to turn it off when taking photos of your kids.

Tip 7: Hold It!

How you hold your Smartphone or take an image can affect the sharpness of your image. Holding your phone with two hands closer to your body will give you a more stable shot that one hand away from your body. You may want to find out if you can trigger your camera without touching it for clearer images, such as using the up/down volume button on your headphones for iPhone, or using an app like TriggerTrap to give you more options.

Tip 8: Share It!

Getting feedback from your community, whether photographers or friends, is a great way to keep your photographic motivation going – so share your photos! Whether Facebook or Flickr, or even a more contest-based site like ViewBug, sharing your photos will keep you interested, as well as giving you a back-up location for some of your favorite shots. Finally, it’s a good idea to look back through your photos at least once a year. Print and hang your best shots, have a mini-slideshow, or just show your kids some moments from the past. You never know, the photography bug might rub off on them too!

Jane Goodrich is a Westchester-based newborn and children’s photographer with an artful eye and a modern edge. Goodrich’s talent lies in her ability to capture a moment in time – no matter how quickly it passes. Her natural connection with babies and children combined with her genuine aesthetic intuition translates into award-winning style photos that are spontaneous, insightful, timeless and charming. Jane has written and photographed several books including Capturing Every Day Life, a no-nonsense guide to photographing your kids, the children’s book Where is Charlie’s Nose? and the soon to be published book New York is My Playground. Jane also teaches photography workshops including teaching parents how to photograph their children, professional photography classes as well as mentors upcoming photographers. For more information on upcoming workshops, email workshops@janegoodrich.com; goodrichfamilyphotography.com.