Up next in my series of “how to take better photographs of your children” is better backgrounds. And this week all the photos I’ve picked are all taken on an iphone camera (except the last one) and I’ve included BAD background versions as well as improved ones. I know it’s so easy when your little one is being a monkey to grab your phone and capture that moment, I do it ALL the time. But an extra second could be the difference between between a snapshot you never show anyone to one you love. I’m not saying don’t capture the fast moving moments but sometimes take more than one and get it right. And for really special moments why not take a family walk, after all the great outdoors ALWAYS makes the best backdrop. The local park, just out and about, or my favourite the beach…
But of course those fun moments might happen at home, so when they do take it fast but then move, make sure the light looks good and ideally nothing distracting behind. With iphones and the wonders of the likes of instagram you have the magic of cropping, and digital means you can take lots. In these two “snapshots” Mia was wearing funny glasses but with the backdrop of the toys and back of the house its distracting, so much so I really dont like the photo, and have previously not shared it. The washing line, array of toys, patio doors spoil it (its the perfectionist in me as she’s still lovely). I wish I had got her to face a different direction before snapping, as the trees were behind me so all I needed to do was go around the other side of her and it could be been great. Instead it is essentially on the cutting room floor.
An amusing moment with my lipstick, she had found without me knowing. I didn’t really fancy letting her run around in the house with lipstick on her face, but in the kitchen the backdrop is never great as you can see from the first shot with things on the side, but with the wonders of instagram I cropped the shot tight added a little blur and the cooker is hardly noticeable. The last shot of mia in her high chair is one of her nanny’s favourites, she even framed it, it helps that a lot of our home is white and our old house had white doors, as the background isnt distracting at all, and even being taken on my phone it’s a cute shot of her and bunny, and with the help of instagram its cropped and focuses in a cute childhood moment.
If in doubt, it’s that thing all mummys and daddys struggle against, tidy up their tornado of toys they have been playing with before you get the camera out! A neutral background is a lot easier to ignore than those brightly coloured toys. Once you’ve got the right background frame it, and experiment. I find getting down to Mia’s level often gets the best shots too!
Then just for fun download instagram and get playing with some of your old mobile photographs, after all it will crop, blur and even improve lighting on ones you may already like and they will become ones you LOVE.
Then once you’ve practised a little head somewhere really amazing (which we try to do regularly) as the better the backdrop the more you will love the photos. Last month we headed to West Mersea which definitely is one of my favourite backdrops so far with its ice cream shades of beach huts! Although instead of the iphone I had to take my SLR but special photographs and places need a little bit more than a iphone!
To see last weeks post on how to get your children to look at the camera (and hopefully smile) click here or head to www.facebook.com/juliaandyou and click like and the album “How to take better photographs of YOUR children” will have links to all the posts as they go on the blog.
