How do I take better pictures of my children with my phone?

10th June 2020

The lockdown has been an event that will go down in history and a subsequent positive is that families have been spending more quality time together at home. Some have even expanded, in the form of new babies and pets, special moments which should be captured and treasured.

Having family pictures taken by a professional photographer is a wonderful experience, but sometimes you want to be able to quickly grab your phone and snap a spontaneous moment. With the latest easing of restrictions here in England, families have begun to reconnect by exploring new places, enjoying the summer sunshine together and hosting socially distanced BBQs and birthday parties.

With this in mind, here are my top tips for photographing your little ones and making the most of your phone camera...

1. Gridlines

A quick and effective way to improve the quality of your phone pictures is by using gridlines. These lines are based on the 'rule of thirds', a photography principle which states that a picture should be split into thirds both horizontally and vertically. By lining up what you want to photograph along these intersecting lines, the picture automatically becomes more balanced and pleasing to the eye.

One easy way to experiment with composition is by placing your subject more towards one side of the frame - have a go and see what you think! You can activate this grid via your camera settings.

2. Focus on the eyes

You don't always need to take pictures from the front when photographing children, but if they are facing you try to focus on their eyes by tapping the screen. This tells the camera what it is important and will ensure that your child is the center of attention, while creating a lovely depth of field behind that really lifts the image.

3. Avoid zooming in, but don't be afraid to get close

If you use your smartphone's camera to zoom in, you automatically lose a lot of detail and reduce the overall quality of the image. Instead of zooming with the screen, get in close for a shot that draws the viewer in. You'll be amazed at the fine details that get picked up and how a good picture suddenly transforms into a great one. Similarly, don't be afraid to cut off part of your child's body with your framing. For example, we don't always need to see their feet or the ground. It may feel strange at first, but certain crops help to fill the frame with more of what really matters.

4. Use burst mode to capture candid moments

Little ones are always on the move, so a great way to capture their genuine personalities is through candid moments and action shots. Instead of asking them to stand and smile, use the burst / continuous feature in your camera app to successfully document movement. Simply hold down your shutter button and your phone will take a continuous stream of images until you remove your finger. This technique is perfect for capturing speedy moments like blowing dandelions, throwing leaves, jumping in puddles and being silly after bath time.

5. Find different perspectives

Sometimes taking a picture from a certain direction doesn't capture the moment properly, so try shooting a scene from multiple angles and see what works best. When photographing children images taken both from above and from down on their level work wonderfully, as they provide the viewer with interesting and varied perspectives.

6. Use negative space

As well as using gridlines, incorporating negative space into your images is a very easy way of creating simple, yet beautiful, composition. Including empty space helps your subject to stand out and can evoke strong emotion. The next time you go out for a family walk, try looking for areas of open sky, water or even a plain wall. Any of these will provide a perfect backdrop for your child and can add a sense of scale to the picture.

7. Clean your phone's lens

This may seem like a no-brainer, but your phone's camera doesn't have a lens cap to protect it from fingerprints, smudges, or anything it may come into contact with in your pocket or handbag. Whenever you want to snap a quick picture, remember to wipe your lens to avoid blurry or hazy images, as these cannot be salvaged.

The wonderful thing about photography is that these tips can be applied to anything you want to capture - nature, your pets, even social media content. I would love to see what you create with these pointers in mind, so please do leave a comment or head over to the Emily Brown Photography Facebook page and send me a message.

All of the images below were taken on my phone camera and have not had any editing or filters applied. If you would like to learn how to capture sharp, colourful images like this on your phone or would like to take your skills to the next level, one to one tuition is available. Please contact me for more information and to find out how I can help you on your photography journey.

Thank you very much to the Gordon family for their photo contributions.

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