Pictures are wonderful – a picture is truly worth 1000 words, they portray our lives and our hearts and they can revive our memories complete with emotions as though we were in the exact moment all over again. Taking great pictures is truly a fine art but taking better ones is definetly a step in the right direction try using these helpful hints to ensure better photos for you and for child’s photo history.

Lighting: An overcast day is a photographers delight. Clouds reduce the shadows and glare that affect the faces and style of your pictures. Morning light or sundown is a good time to photograph outside and is often known as the ‘golden hour’. Natural light is best as it tends to fill a room better than a lamp or overhead light.

Flash: Understanding how your camera works and how the flash affects your pictures will play a big role in getting the most out of your efforts. All cameras are of different quality so my saying that the flash off on my camera takes the best indoor pictures doesn’t mean anything to you. Do a still life test and take a few pictures with a light on, off, by a window, near a wall, flash on, flash off and in the dark or dusk. Write down what you took the pictures of and then develop, examine and study them so that you can commit to memory your best results.

Film: Living in the age of digital most of us are now in posession of a digital camera. Make sure you have a large clear card so that you can focus on taking pictures not how much space you have left. For those few who are still using film be sure to carry an extra roll and develop your used roll ASAP. By getting them developed quickly you will still hopefully remember taking the pictures and will learn which techniques worked and which failed.

Subjects: Duh the kids right? But what to dress them in? Soft colors, soft light and soft textures work best when photographing babies. These take away from distracting backgrounds or clothing colors and allow the photograph to be focused on the baby. Draping sheets and blankets over furniture or your space can help take away business and let the eye focus on the baby.
If you have a better quality camera capturing the colours of childhood can create a vibrant and wonderful set of pictures that will instantly bring a smile to your face. A pair of bright red gumboots, a sunny yellow umbrella, striking green grass and brown mud puddle are all you need then just look through the lense and shoot.
**Don’t overlook their hands, feet and toes. Close up shots of these body parts can become additions to your collection of full body shots.

Props: Whether it be a favorite teddy bear, a blanket or even a shoe sometimes an inanimate object completely makes the picture. Here are some fun ideas for props: feather boa, dress up clothes and shoes, stuffed animals, trains, blocks, books, blankets & sheets, buckets(plastic or metal), a tin wash bin, boots, umbrella, baskets and chair or fence. Think of colour and theme when choosing props as well as purpose. If you choose props that add to your picture and don’t take away from the subject then you are on your way.
Capturing a Moment: I see such beauty and wonderful photographs everywhere I go and I NEVER remember to bring my camera. Or worse the batteries die. So don’t be like me and be prepared. Keep your camera close at hand, batteries charged or changed recently so that when a fun, cute or beautiful picture presents itself you will be there to capture it forever.
If you decide on a picture taking session planning is the key to taking pictures and not running around fixing things. Ensure children are well fed, well rested and relatively clean. Have everything you need on hand, change of clothes, possible props, snacks, wipes and extra batteries!

Storing & Processing: It is helpful to write the date on the front of the envelope that the pictures come in or to catorgize the downloads in your computer immediately as you download them. Be sure to back up your photofiles regularly onto a CD. Be sure to store your CDs or negatives in a dry, temperature-controlled place preferably something fireproof.

-Put the best photo immediately into your photo album.
It can simplify your life if you keep up with the album assembly regularly.-

Once you have taken all these wonderful photos there are all sorts of things you can do with them display them in frames, in an online gallery, a photo album or build a scrapbook. Getting them printed or developed would be a great place for me to start I can work on getting them out of the photobox after that! Regardless of what you do have fun and take LOTS of pictures.


- Krystal Williams