Scrapbook My Life

Children are a popular subject for scrapbooking layouts, but getting a good photograph of your son or daughter can be a challenge. When my son was younger, he loved to have his picture taken. Now that he’s more mobile, however, he’d rather be anywhere than in front of the camera.

Here are some tips that may help you get better pictures of your children:

• Let kids be kids. Children are naturally mischievous. When photographing your child, spend some time simply observing the action. Candid pictures of kids playing, exploring, and goofing off are often the most precious.
• Bring out silly props. Toys help shy kids loosen up. A fake mustache or bubbles may great props for any child.
• Capture the less-than perfect moments. It’s natural to want pictures of happy and smiling children, but you don’t need to cancel a photo session if your child is in a bad mood. The goal of photography is to capture life as it is, not as you wish it would be. When your son or daughter is grown, you’re guaranteed to look back on those grumpy expressions with fondness.
• Practice creative cropping. Avoid centering your subject exactly in the middle of the frame. Letting part of your child’s body fall slightly outside your viewfinder will often result in a more interesting picture.
• Use your flash outside when shooting with the sun directly behind your child. The flash fills in the shadows you’d normally expect to see.
• Zoom in. When photographing your child, get down to his/her level. Photographs taken eye to eye are much more interesting than those taken when you’re merely looking down at your child.

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