How to Take Great Candid Photos of Your Children

There’s something about capturing those naturally playful, thoughtful or silly moments when your kids are just being kids. It makes some of the most precious photos. When you want to catch your kids being themselves, don’t just do it on birthdays, first days of school, or holidays, make sure you take photos of everyday happenings as well. If you want to capture more candid shots of your children, here are a few tips that will help you catch them in the act.

Be prepared

Have your camera ready because you never know when the perfect shot might present itself. It also helps to know your camera and its different shooting modes so you can capture quality photos using the right settings. Then you’ll be ready when that special event comes up or when it’s raining outside and your kids will be indoors reading books and playing.

Child’s view

If you really want to capture special shots of your child so that their emotions come through in the photos, you need to take the shot from their level. Sit, crouch, lie down, or whatever it takes so that you’re at their eye level.

Keep your distance

Sometimes the best candid shots need to be taken from a distance. Once your kids are aware that you’re taking photos, it can ruin the moment. It helps to have a zoom lens like the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Prime Lens for Canon SLR Cameras from Beachcamera.com for these moments so that you can stay out of sight but still get quality shots.

Group plan

When you’re shooting your child with a group of friends look for one subject to use as a focal point. Then wait until the children share a common point of focus and capture that moment.

Don’t shoot for perfection

Candid shots aren’t meant to be perfect, they’re meant to capture everything about a certain moment. So when one of those moments arises, snap away with your Sony Cyber-Shot from Beachcamera.com. Find your favorite shot afterward.

Lighting is everything

Try to capture shots of your children while they’re outside or in a room with lots of natural light. Try to avoid the harsh midday light and if that’s not an option, some shade should help soften the images.

Simple backgrounds

The simpler the better so that the pictures are more about the person than what’s behind them. Sometimes, the easiest way to simplify the background is to use a fast lens and shoot close at apertures such as f/2.8 or f/4 in order to defocus the background. For this to work, you will need some space between the subject and the background.

Sharp foregrounds

Keep the foregrounds simple as well while also keeping whatever is in the foreground sharp. If something in the foreground is blurred, it keeps the viewer from easily appreciating the subject. Capturing candid shots of your children allows you to relive those special moments time and time again and is a skill well worth mastering.