Photography Tips - getting good family snapshots

I am not a pro although one day I would like to be considered one! I love taking pictures and now that I stay at home I am pursuing it! So visit my photography blog which is a work in progress and if you ever want pictures done let me know!

However....I know what it's like to just want to get snap shots around the house....not professional but good pictures! So I wanted to give you some of my tips! It doesn't mean I wouldn't love for you to call me still because I would and so would my husband!! :-)

I shoot with a Nikon D90- I love Nikon but I hear cannon is just as good. I guess it's just a preference thing! I don't think you need a Nikon D90 to get great pictures. But DSLR Camera's are great to have! You don't need to get the most expensive camera to get great snap shots! You just need to learn some basic things! I hope to help you learn a few of those things!

Tip # 1.

I think the number one thing is lighting! Take your kid and face them towards the light! Look into their eyes & then face them away from the light and look into their eyes! See a difference!! I promise you will! You will get crystal clear eyes in the light and dark eyes when you are not facing the light!

Find a room in your house that gets good natural light and raise the blinds. Face your child towards the light and snap away!
We always go to Caroline's room when we take pictures...the light pretty much shines in there all day long!

Here are some examples...they are not a perfect example b/c I did have light some light coming in from a side window in the second picture.
The first picture is with Caroline facing the Window! The light not only affects her eyes but just the entire picture!

This time I turned her around now the light is in the background and not on her, still a good picture just not as clear. The background is completely too bright. This picture would have even been worse but their was a window to her left side.

It's amazing the difference light can make. 

When you can the best thing to do is turn your flash off and pull the blinds up! I even sit the kids right at the front door if I am trying to get a good shot of them. 

Tip # 2
Location! If your taking pictures inside a great place to take them is in your bed...if you have great lighting.
Put a pair of white Sheets on and roll back the comforter, let your baby roll on the comfortable bed and snap away or your toddler jump! Everyone likes to jump on the bed! Once they are having fun they will forget that they are trying not to smile! The headboard made a great background.

Tip #3 - I sent this to a friend today and I wanted to include it on my blog. I went to a photography class once and the photographer said even Professionals only get the perfect shot 10% of the time....so if you take 100 pictures 10% may be some of those jaw dropping pics that we love! So 10 pictures of the 100 are something you would keep! 

When I take pictures of my kids I take 100's in just the one shoot! Just want to make that clear! It takes a lot of things going right at the same time! Especially when you are taking pictures of more than one person! It's hard to get everyone looking at the camera at the same time, no one blinking or making funny faces. I remember over Christmas I was taking pictures of the Kids for Jacob's mom's Christmas card! I remember the exact number of pictures I took (177) to get the 1 Photo I wanted for the card! I remember thinking this is crazy. But I got that one picture I wanted and I worked hard for it! Here it is....

If you want me to go over something email me...or if you want me to keep adding tips let me know! I would love to help if people are interested! 

Please email me at emilycelrod@gmail.com if you have questions or something you would like me to cover.