Learning Center
Child Tips

For family and kids photography, a D-SLR camera with a Tamron 18-200mm or 18-270mm range zoom lens is ideal because they give you great versatility when shooting both indoors and outdoors. They let you take group shots at the wide angle settings, like 18mm. And you can zoom in closer to fill the frame when those precious facial expressions appear.

As children get older and start to play sports, you should consider a lens with a more powerful tele function, such as the Tamron 70-300mm or 18-270mm (or 28-300mm) lens. These versatile zoom lets you capture candid pictures of your children at play from a comfortable distance.

Learning to hold your camera properly will help you get the best results. If your camera and lens are not adequately supported, you could get blurry pictures. Camera shake becomes more of a concern as you use more powerful telephoto lenses. Rest the bottom of your camera on the heel of your left hand with your fingers gripping the lens. Your thumb and middle finger are used to rotate the zoom barrel of the lens. Firmly grip the right side of the camera with your right hand. The right forefinger should rest lightly on the shutter release. Stand comfortably with your elbows close to your body.

Newborns spend much of their time sleeping. But you can get some cute photos while they are lying in a baby seat or bassinet. Cover baby's seat with a pastel-colored blanket (avoid white and distracting patterns) and fill the frame as much as you can to eliminate most of the background. A mother nursing her infant can make a tender and beautiful photograph. Try shooting it by the natural light coming through a window.

Hint: Get down to your child's eye-level. Try not to take every picture while standing above the baby.

Note: it is best not to use flash for the first 90 days when photographing very young newborns.

As children start to explore the world around them, you'll want to catch every moment in pictures. Give children safe colorful props to play with and just watch what they do. Try bright sunglasses, oversized stuffed animals, hats, etc. Even camera shy children will become engrossed with the prop and give you many delightful photographs.

By now your children are becoming involved in many activities and have begun to distance themselves from you. This is the time to consider a telephoto zoom lens, such as a 70-300mm. Or consider moving to an all-around zoom like an 18-200mm, 18-250mm, 18-270mm or 28-300mm.

Telephoto focal length lenses allow you to get closer to your child without physically moving and help you get candid shots without breaking your child's concentration. Remember to focus on the eyes to bring the portrait to life.

Sports, school plays and other group activities require telephoto lenses. Using the wrong lens can give you disappointing results. If you want to be able to pick your child out of a crowd, you should be shooting with a telephoto zoom.

If you have children who love to have their picture taken, try getting close to them with a wide-angle lens. Include their surroundings in the background to tell a story while keeping your subject an important part of your picture.

Avoid Red-eye by using your flash features. Make sure your camera is set to the Red-eye reduction flash mode. This will fire a pre-flash before the actual picture is taken to reduce the red-eye effect that is common when taking photos in dimly lit rooms.

Avoid harsh shadows by bouncing the flash off a white ceiling. (Colored ceilings will affect the color of your photo). Cameras with built-in flashes often accept an auxiliary flash which can be used for bouncing.

Bath time and feeding time provide some excellent picture taking opportunities. You may want to keep some colorful toys ready in case you need them. You can get some great expressions from children when they are not particularly happy about something. Remember, they don't have to be smiling to make it a good photo. Giving your child some messy foods can also create some great shots.

When you are shooting telephoto close-ups you may consider switching your camera to manual focus. Most autofocus system cannot always automatically distinguish between certain areas of subjects, especially when the lighting is poor. The more powerful the telephoto and the closer you get, the more this becomes a factor. So for the best results consider setting your camera on "manual" and focus on a key element of the image, like the eye closest to you (in the case of a portrait).

When shooting with a telephoto lens, your shutter speed should be at least equal or greater than the focal length you are using. For example, if your lens is set at 200mm, the shutter speed should be set no slower than 1/250 sec. and for 300mm no slower than 1/500 sec. Using a higher ISO like 400 or 800 will help you achieve higher shutter speeds. Shoot in the "Action Mode" on your camera, or shutter priority, to increase shutter speeds.

Sometimes shooting outdoors present problems with lighting. Strong sunlight can often cast harsh shadows on your subject's face. Many cameras have a "fill-flash" mode which helps soften these shadows. They provide a small burst of light to brighten shadow areas and produce pleasant highlights.

Some times the camera’s light meter can be fooled. When the sun is behind the subject, be sure to zoom in close and fill the image with the subject to avoid fooling the camera’s light meter and to get the best expressions.

There are so many everyday situations that can make the cutest or funniest pictures imaginable. A parent reading to a child... children saying their prayers... children playing in the sandbox... getting into something they shouldn't... having fun with the family pet. As they run from place to place, take 9 or 10 consecutive pictures using your camera's continuous shooting function. This will give you a far greater chance of getting that one great shot. And a framed series of 3 or 4 shots makes a nice display.

Shooting while your child is running through a playground or along a soccer field will give you photos that convey motion. Everything around your child will be blurry, but your youngster will remain in sharp focus. Make sure you hold your camera steady, and continue to follow your child through the viewfinder as you release the shutter.

Use a slow shutter speed while your child is on a swing or riding towards you on a tricycle. Mount your camera on a tripod and set your shutter speed anywhere from 1/30th sec. to 1/4 sec. This will give you a dramatic photo that emphasizes the motion.

You can also consider adding flash to long exposures to stop action while creating the blur of motion in the same image.

Photo albums are important as are framing and display mounting. Scrapbooks are becoming works of art and family treasures. Try taking a picture a day... it can make an interesting and fun photo album that will serve as a documentary of your child's growth. You can make your album more interesting by including items like birthday party invitations, a ticket stub from the circus, or a business card from the barber who cut your son's hair. Seeing these items along with the pictures will help you to recreate those wonderful memories. Visit your photo retailer and /or local craft store for supplies and instructions on how to uniquely display your photos.