How to Take Better Phone Photos of your Children
Hey mama! I bet you have a phone that has a built in camera, and I also would bet that you use it all.the.time to take pictures of your kids. If you ever get frustrated with blurry pictures or bad angles, read on and I’ll give you some helpful tips to improve your phone photos.
Lighting
The most important factor in any type of photography is lighting! First, I rarely - if ever - turn on the flash on my phone. It lives in the “off” position. Maybe this is because I am a natural light photographer, but the flash on a phone is just not something I find to give off flattering light.
Once you’ve got your flash firmly in the “off” position, take a look at the available light around you. If it is “Golden Hour” (the hour after sunrise or the hour before sunset), you can place your subject in full sun, with their backs to the sun. Your phone should be facing the sun. If your subject is facing the sun, they will be squinting and you may cast a shadow onto them (from yourself).
If it is any time of day other than golden hour, I recommend looking for shade. Make sure the shade is solid and not dappled, meaning that there are no sun spots peeking through. This will give you nice, even light for your subjects.
Composition
Next, check your composition. Crouch down to your child’s level to get them to engage in your camera more. Getting down to their level will also allow you to get the beautiful sky in the background. If you’re standing up and looking down at them, you will only see the ground behind them. Depending on the location, it’s possible that this is the more desirable background. But if you’re seeking a beautiful sunset, you’re going to have to get down to your child’s level!
Overshoot
When it comes to children, I find that shooting several pictures in a series allows me to capture one or two that I love. Children move quickly and, especially in the case of phones which do not have a fast shutter (aka: you can’t take pictures fast enough due to the camera’s limitations), you may need to take a series of photos to get just the right angle or smile.
Don’t Beg for a “Cheese”
Sometimes, kids will say cheese naturally, and that’s ok! The main thing is not to beg for it as it results in unnatural smiles. You will be much happier with a real smile, or any real emotion. The key is to be in the moment, waiting for “THE” shot. Sometimes, that means they’re looking right at you and smiling. And sometimes they’re laughing with their sibling, giving a serious face, or their backs may even be facing you!
Editing
Editing is another important factor for getting great phone photos. I find that phones often dull the colors. My favorite app to edit phone pictures in is Lightroom Mobile. It comes with some free presets (automatic adjustments applied to a photo), or you can purchase presets to use. Once you get the hang of it, you can create your own presets to save for different lighting situations.
I hope these tips helped!