Charlotte Family Photographer / Tips for Photographing Your Kids

I love beautiful portraits of my kids.  You know the ones with the perfectly selected outfits, a beautiful landscape and a dramatic sunset behind them.  Canvases of portraits such as these adorn the walls in my home.  Even more important, are the photos capturing my kids being themselves in our home or out and about; photos of them engrossed in their favorite activities.  I want to remember all of the details like how my daughter likes to wear layers upon layers of dress up clothes and costume jewelry (at ALL times), how she loves all things art and will spend hours upon hours painting, coloring, stamping, etc.  I want to remember my oldest learning to read, building kindergarten friendships, coming into his own as a pretty good soccer player and wearing pajamas that are 3 sizes to small because he went through a gigantic growth spurt in the past couple of months.  I want to remember the baby's first giggles, tooth, scooting backwards during tummy time and just the way he gazes adoringly at his big brother and sister.  These moments are fleeting.  They pass so quickly and I'm determined to capture them with my camera.  I'm sure those of you reading feel the same way about your own kids.  So, here are a few tips for capturing these precious moments of your kids in their own environement doing their thing.

First, keep your camera handy.  For the photos that follow, I didn't set my daughter up with her paints intending to do a "photo session".  She asked me if she could paint a picture of these egg-carton roses that she made me for mother's day the year before.  We got everything set up and as she started to paint, I was struck by how pretty and grown up she was, paints in hand with the beautiful light streaming through the breakfast room windows.  I knew I wanted to remember it and my camera was right there so I picked it up and started shooting.

Second, consider the details and don't forget to photograph them.  What do you not want to forget about the scene before you?  The sights, the sounds, the smells, etc.  These are where the memories lie.  

Third, shoot from different angles.  Move around and snap the scene from different perspectives.  You'll learn what works well compositionally and be a better photographer and these different perspectives help round out the story.

Finally, have fun.  Don't be too much of a perfectionist.  Enjoy the flaws and silliness.  

Visit my website to see more of my children's photography.  If you would like to set up your own children's lifestyle or portrait session, contact me.  I appreciate your visit to my blog and I'd love to hear from you.  Please leave a comment below.  Shares, likes and pins are always appreciated too!!

Carrie Howland Photography is an on-location lifestyle photography specializing in children, families and newborns in and around the Charlotte, NC area.  Carrie Howland Photography serves the greater Charlotte area including Charlotte, Pineville-Matthews, Belmont, Concord, Kannapolis, Lake Norman (Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Mooresville), Troutman and Denver.