How to take the best photos of your little one

Whether it’s for the family photo album, to share memories with friends and family or one for the Instagram feed, getting a good picture of your kids can be hard work.

We all want as many pictures of our little ones as possible to capture those special moments forever. But it can be pretty tricky to get that perfect shot when your little model won’t sit still, won’t smile and keeps getting distracted.

From our own experience of trying to snap those perfect pictures with our little monsters we know how hard it can be. So we have compiled a few of our top tips to get the best photo's of your little one for the photo albums.

Go natural 

Professionally posed pictures have their place, but those candid free-spirited moments are often the money shots. These candid pictures capture your child in their natural mood, interacting with the world around them letting their genuine personality shine through. Capturing natural moments instead of forced ones will capture those precious moments that encapsulate the spirit of your child that you will treasure for years to come. There are times when you don’t even need to let the child know you’re taking photos. Observe and pick a moment when they are completely involved and engaged in an activity and just start snapping away.

Follow their lead

Most parents will know that when you give a child a demand like ‘sit there’ they tend to love doing the complete opposite. Try letting them approach the photo how they wish, let them roam and explore naturally while you snap away. This will encourage shots showing their true nature and natural curiosity creating more genuine images.

It’s not all about the face

Faces are adorable, and it doesn’t get much better than your little one’s cute smile. But there are so many other adorable features that you can focus on to get a memorable photo. Tiny toes that will never be so small again, that little curl of hair that you should really cut but can’t bring yourself to do it, long eyelashes that are the envy of every woman. All these little features make up the details of your little one’s bigger character, don’t miss the opportunity to capture these little details before they are gone! That’s the sweet stuff you won’t want to forget as your baby gets bigger.

Keep them happy

No one wants to pose up a storm when they are hungry or tired, and your little one is no different. For maximum smiles and happy laughter make sure they are well rested, well fed and comfortable. You could also have snacks nearby to give them in-between snaps to keep them happy for a little longer. Making photo shoots fun and enjoyable means that your kids will want to do it again, and again, and again (hopefully!)

Level with them

Getting down on the ground to take photos will also change your perspective and help you see your child’s world from their vantage. Don’t be afraid to scoot in as close as you can when photographing your child, especially down on the ground at eye-level. Many shots are taken far away and a lot of the details are lost like your child’s eye lashes, toes, the light in his or her eyes.

There is no such thing as too many photos!

Click away, digital photography is free and unlimited so make the most of it. Overshooting will make sure you don’t miss those cheeky smiles or little details that make or break a photo. Children move fast and often so they could have their eyes shut or hands covering their face for over half of the pictures you take. Taking as many photo’s as possible will ensure you will get at least a few perfect pictures at the end.

Get silly

If all else fails become a child yourself to get the best reactions out of them. Little things like speaking to them as you're snapping away will entice an interested curious look in their features. Or pull funny faces to get them to smile at you that the lens can then capture. Interact with them and encourage playfulness to get the best out of your subject. Most of all, just have fun with it!