With it being school holidays, we’re spending more time with our kids and taking a ton more cell phone photos of our little munchkins being cute and adorable.
Hi! I’m Salomé (pronounced Sa-low-may) from Yellow Lab and I’m a professional wedding, portrait and pet photographer. I’m here today, to share my tips on how to take amazing photos of your little ones by using your phone.
1. LIGHTING
Before I even reach for my phone, I check to see what the lighting is like. If it’s at night, I make sure to switch on another light if I can. During the day, I’ll run to open the curtain or a door to allow more natural light to stream into the picture. Make sure to take this step. The cameras on our smartphones these days are pretty good, but generally, they don’t function that well in low light situations.
2. CHECK THE BACKGROUND
If time allows, I suggest you try get the background as clear from clutter as possible. Either by changing the camera angle or by kicking the shoes in the background out of the picture. When the background has fewer distractions the viewer can really enjoy the picture and their eyes won’t wander to an untidy (read: lived in ;-D) home in the background. I also find that when the background is plain, the photos are more memorable.
3. GET ON THE SAME LEVEL
I find that the photos almost always come out better when I move myself and make sure my camera/ phone is on my little one’s level. Instead of looking down at him from where I’m standing, I get to capture and see him a little differently. This makes SUCH a huge difference when a photograph doesn’t look down at its subject matter.
4. CATCH LIGHTS
Catch lights are my favorite!! Catch lights are the reflections in ones eyes when light reflects off of it. Start looking for these light reflections, it truly makes a picture come alive! If catch lights are not visible, try changing your little ones face to be in the direction of a light source. It’s not always possible to change a little one’s position, but once you start noticing catch lights, you’ll see them everywhere!
5. GET INTO THE PICTURE
Mommy, now that you have all the tools to take incredible photos of your kiddos, it’s time for you to get into the picture too. Set up your photo how you want it taken and ask hubby or someone close by to take the snap.
Alternatively, take a selfie with your babies. To take a nice looking selfie, apply all the above rules about checking for a nice clear background and good lighting. Be careful when you take a selfie, that you’re not shooting up or into someone’s nose. Keep the phone eye level or just slightly above your eyes.
All the photos used today were taken with my phone. (Salome has since immigrated and can be found here).
Thank you to everyone for entering! We’ve drawn a winner on the @yellowlabstudio facebook page :-D.
would love a photo shoot on the beach, such beautiful back drop ,
I would LOVE a shoot in the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens at Emmarentia dam 🙂 I would want my hubby there and my parents and siblings (2 sisters and brother). Also my baby bump will feature! Due in October 🙂 Holding thumbs for myself!!
These tips are great, thanks for sharing.
I would love a photo shoot with hubby and the little monkeys somewhere in a field full of cosmos and wildflowers. Have a pic like that from when I was a baby and have always wanted to recreate it.
Thank you for these tips. Much needed as I take too many pictures and would definitely be using these tips.
Photo shoot…. Delta park sounds like a good place as I haven’t been there before but I’ve seen loads of stunning pictures taken there. My daughter and my long suffering husband who I drag into too many pictures (I always tell him he will thank me one day)
Would love a shoot at irene farm villages
In Newtown with the graffiti backgrounds
Would love a simple photo shoot for my daughter’s 1st birthday coming up in May, with her and hubby somewere outdoors.
I would love to have a photoshoot done with my amazing hubby and adventurous 3 year old. It would be nice if it could be done at The Monument Building in Pretoria. I live in Jhb and actually any pretty place will do 🙂
I would love to have a family photoshoot at zoo lake as it is one of my favourite spots in jhb. The laidback vibe and outdoors remind me of the town i grew up in.
I would chose Gold Reef City as the location for a family photoshoot with my 2 beautiful daughters and the newest addition to our family, my precious grandson 🙂
I would love to have a family photoshoot with my hubby and 1 year old son at the Maboneng Precinct – Arts on Main. I am drawn to artsy photos and it would be such a treat to have some creative shots with the urban lanscape in the background. Memories that will truly be cherished forever. This would be super special for me to win as both myself and my son celebrated our birthdays this month 🙂
I would love a family shoot at Makaranga – with my hubby and our soon be little angel due in September – #newbeginnings <3