I must preface with this- this post is written with only love and no judgment. I’ve observed moms make these mistakes countless times… and I’ve been that mom. I am not here to judge, only to help. This post can easily come across as throwing shade. I only throw shade when it’s full sun and it’s needed for a good photo… Ummm kayyyyy. With all that being said, if you are reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve done one or all of these mistakes and that’s ok. You can correct them starting today. Without further ad0, here are the biggest mistakes moms make when photographing kids. Also, have you seen my post about the best photography tips for beginners? Go check that out here! Game changer.
More of a visual learner? Check out my YouTube video below!
Staying seated while photographing
Every time a mom posts a photo of their child, and I see their feet propped up- I cringe. If a photo is worth posting on social media, isn’t it worth getting out of your chair to take the photo? Oh, and this is not just moms. Dads are FAR more guilty. I don’t think a dad has ever stood up to take a photo.
Do this instead: Ask yourself- Is this photo worth getting up for? If the answer is yes, get up and take the photo. If the answer is no, stay seated with your feet propped up and enjoy the moment.
Not getting eye-level
Our kids have the habit of growing. I don’t know why they insist on doing it. But while they are smaller than us (which is only for a short time for most of us), we need to get photographs on their level. It’s easy to just take photos while we are standing up but something magical happens when we squat down, and we can see them in the eyes. First off, that just makes for a better composition- they are straining their neck to look up at you, you aren’t getting the top of their head, and the list goes on. Secondly, smaller children seem to engage with us more when we are at their level. “Oh, mom’s down here with me! I really like this!” And that leads to a really great photo. Try it for yourself!
Talking while taking a photo
“My photos are always so blurry! I have no idea why!” Well, Karen, if you are using your phone to take photos and waving it allllll overrrrr theeee place while you are taking the photo, it’s will be blurred every πΒ single πΒ time. How do I know this? Because I am Karen!
Here is a common scenario of how it typically goes:
There’s a lot going on and I want a photo (party, graduation, ballgame, etc.)
I get everybody together for the photo.
I’m talking to the people I just got together maybe even the people behind me.
I move my hands when I talk.
The photo is blurred.
The way to avoid this have a mindset shift when you are taking photos. When you are taking a photo, concentrate on taking the photo and nothing else. Pretend your phone is a film camera if you need to. You only have so many shots to get the photo. This could take as little as 10 seconds to do- and then you can go right back to talking with your hands.
Missing the moment to get the photo- the Biggest Mistake Moms Make when Photographing Kids
Mom, if you get nothing else from this post or from me ever again, please get this: don’t miss experiencing the moment to get a photo.Β This is the Biggest Mistake Moms Make when Photographing Kids.
Don’t be fumbling with your camera while your baby is walking across the stage. Don’t miss your baby blowing out the candles. Don’t be behind the camera if you aren’t confident to get the photo QUICKLY.
Here’s what you can do instead:
- have someone else take the photos if the celebration is important to you (no matter how big or how small.)
- know your camera REALLY well and have the confidence to grab the shot quickly without missing what is going on.
- set times you know you are going to be photographing and times you are not. For example, I take my “fancy camera” to only a couple t-ball games. When I take my camera, I know that I will be missing some moments. It’s impossible to get a good photo of a kid at-bat and also watch how the play unfolds without missing something. That’s ok. This is exactly why I only have my camera sometimes, and I am fully present other times.
So there you have it! The biggest mistakes moms make when photographing kids. Make sure to get out of your seat for the photo, get on their level, keep the camera steady, and never, ever miss the moment. Now it’s time to get photographing!
π¨ FREE CLASS ALERT! Want to know my biggest tips to get kids to smile at the camera? Sign up for my FREE class by clicking here!
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