Part 1 of 2 – How not to say Cheese.

Kids… they’re crazy, unpredictable and have an attention span of about 2 seconds… which are just the ingredients you need for great photos.

Like a lot of Mum’s and Dad’s out there, there have been many moments in the past where I would be trying to get all the kids looking at the camera and smiling and I can honestly say it’s nearly as impossible as time travel… especially when it’s your own kids. For some reason I’ve always found it much easier to get other people’s kids looking at the camera, maybe because I’m a bit more of a novelty to them.

My own kids are more like ‘here’s Dad with the camera again’ and then give an awkward ‘cheeeese’ while baring all teeth as if they were about to start brushing them. Then they’ll still be looking at whatever I pulled them away from in the first place. I then one day realised, I don’t even want photos like that… why am I stopping them having fun with whatever they’re doing and negotiating a half-hearted, awkward smile when the best moment is staring me right in the face. The real memory of them playing with their favourite toy, or fighting with their brother with real facial expressions instead of bared teeth.

 

Here are some tips on how to capture the best moments of your kids.

 

1 – Always have your camera handy

I know it seems obvious, but this is the most important tip, because once the moment’s gone, it’s gone. It can be your phone camera, your DSLR, it doesn’t matter. Some of my favourite photos of the kids are ones I took on my phone. 

 

 

 

 

2 – The art of moment spotting

Know when a moment is a moment. They are happening all the time and we don’t even notice them. It’s not just the first steps, or first day of school. It’s the happy, the sad, and the subtle moments too, like when they all cuddle under the blanket on the lounge, or you catch them checking themselves out in the mirror… or even just as simple as them playing together. It’s the hidden and less obvious moments that usually make the best photos.

 

3 – Don’t ruin the moment

Our kids are so trained to look and smile when a camera comes out, so it’s your job to go stealth. If they see you with the camera then 9 times out of 10 the moment’s gone… and definitely don’t stop them from what they are doing to take the photo. If you do that then you can just add it to the hundreds of other photos of them looking and smiling at the camera.

 

4 – Embrace the chaos

It’s who they are, and it’s what our lives become with them, so embrace it. If they’re pulling each other’s hair, climbing on dad’s head, crying, it’s all GOLD I tell you. Chaotic memories are the best ones, so pick up your camera and shoot it.

 

5 – Don’t force it         

Don’t try and force a moment… if it’s not happening, then it’s not happening, so don’t force it. Otherwise they’ll be in tears, you’ll be yelling ‘LOOK AT THE CAMERA AND BE HAPPPPY!’… And no one will be… happy that is.

 

 

Conclusion

I know it may seem obvious, but sometimes it’s hard to realise what’s happening in front of us. Our babies are growing up super fast and I’m not sure about you but I want to remember my family for how they are… crazy… pull your hair out, ride the dog crazy.

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