One of the more difficult things to photograph well with a digital camera is children. This is so because not only is it difficult to get children to sit still, but because the expressiveness that you long to capture is so fleeting. There are two distinct problems here. The first is in capturing clear images of a child that is moving. The second is trying to grab your camera and snap the picture before the moment passes.
The first problem requires a deeper knowledge of how your camera works.
To take clear pictures of children that are moving, the shutter on your camera has to open and close very quickly and your camera has to be held very still. If you’re not familiar with camera technology, think of the shutter on your camera as akin to your own eyelids. Just as your eyelids open and close over the lens of your eye to let in light and images, so too does the shutter for your camera for its mechanical lens. In addition to the shutter there is also something called aperture. Think of this as analogous to your pupil and irises. When it’s dark, your pupils grow larger, which is another way of saying your irises pull the opening to your lens wider to allow more light to enter. On a camera, the aperture does the same thing. It makes the hole through which light, and subsequently your images enter the lens for processing, larger or smaller. Normally the aperture size is determined automatically by the computer inside your camera. Most digital cameras allow you to adjust the size for yourself if you want though. This would be the section marked F-stops and other such things. If you’d like to learn more, check your user’s guide, it’s too broad of a topic to be discussed here.
The second part of the problem, capturing images quickly, comes about because of the very nature of the digital camera itself. It has a tiny computer inside and this computer must calculate many things every time you take a picture. Thus, when you press the shutter release button, there is a noticeable delay as the computer calculates the optimum settings for the picture you are trying to take. It’s this delay that can cause you to miss the picture you were aiming for.
Getting back to your shutter. There are two basic ways to change the speed of your camera’s shutter. The easiest is to add more light. Digital cameras by design automatically adjust shutter speed according to how much light is present. More light, faster shutter speed. Less light, slower shutter speed. This is why it’s often difficult to get good pictures in the dark. Slower shutter speeds mean that the image being captured is held for a longer period of time. If the image moves during that time, than the result will be blurry. The other way to speed up the shutter is to force it manually. For most digital cameras this can be done through menu options that are too specific to camera brand to discuss here.
Now that we understand the fundamentals, below are ten useful tips for helping you to improve the pictures you take of children:
1 – Lighting. No matter what the subject, your pictures will turn out better when there is more light. Granted, you don’t always have control over the lighting in certain situations, but you do usually have the option of using the flash on your camera. Use it. You might also have some control over the angle of the natural light that is hitting your subject. For example, if you’re trying to photograph your child in a footrace, you might try moving yourself to a position where the sun will be behind you and shining directly on your subject as they pass by.
2 – Equipment. One of the other things you can control when trying to take pictures of children is to keep the camera as still as possible. In most cases this will mean purchasing a tripod. Usually, the manufacturer of your camera will make a tripod for your camera that will screw right into the bottom of it. Other types that can be set up more quickly have only one leg. Other equipment you might add to help with child photography are hand held lights. In general, it’s best to use lights made specifically for photography as other types tend to cast a yellow or greenish tint to most digital camera images. One more thing. With most digital cameras you’ll find you get better quality pictures in general if you add a memory card. This is because it allows you to take much larger pictures, which when squeezed down to fit in a smaller size, look a lot sharper than those taken originally at that size.
3 – Preparation & Planning. Another thing that can help to improve your children’s photography is to prepare and plan for your pictures. If you’re going to take pictures at a sporting event for example, you might visit the site beforehand so as to learn where you might get the best angles and the best available light. You can also check to see if using your flash is allowed, or to see if you might be able to bring more lighting with you. You might also prepare your subject by having them dress in a more colorful outfit or uniform if possible to help make them stand out.
4 – Indoors vs Outdoors. Generally you’ll get far better results at outdoor events than those that are held inside. This is because the lighting for digital photography is almost always better outside. For indoor events, you’ll want to get as close to your subject as possible, and if they are in range, use your flash. In range, for most digital cameras is generally 15 feet or less. You might also look into changing your shutter speed or aperture size manually. For outdoor picture taking, try to get as close as possible to your subject and to have the sun behind you. Angle yourself so as to have the most possible light on your subject. Use a tripod if you can.
5 – Single Subject. If you are taking pictures of just one child, you generally have more control over your subject. You can ask them to pose, or to do something, or to stop doing something. If the child is someone close to you emotionally, you are more apt to catch more personal moments. To get the best pictures of a child, try using the zoom on your camera for close-ups. It will work better than just moving the camera closer because of the light meter built into the camera. Try framing just their face or just their eyes. If the lighting is good, you’ll find you’re able to capture subtle nuances in their expression. When shooting a single child, you also often also have the option of setting the “stage” so to speak. This is often referred to as portrait photography, a special subject all on it’s own. Most digital camera’s actually have a portrait mode, which cause the child’s face to be clear and sharp while intentionally blurring the background. Also, use a tripod if you can. Doing so will greatly reduce the number of blurry shots due to you moving just as you click the shutter.
6 – Multiple Subjects. Most digital cameras have a menu option for taking pictures of children. The idea being that children rarely sit still. Refer to your users guide, the odds are very good you’ll get the best possible pictures of groups of children using this option. If your camera doesn’t have this option, try going outside where the light is usually better. Also, try moving closer to the group. Try to get them to bunch together in ways that don’t look uncomfortable. This not only allows for more detail, but quite often causes the children to pause long enough for you to snap the picture. In any case, try to put the children in a place where there is plenty of light, but not so much as to make them squint. Use a tripod if possible and be sure to put yourself down low so as to be on their level.
7 – Events. Sometimes when taking pictures of children at a sporting event, blurring actually enhances the effect, which is good, because the only way you are going to get a clear picture of someone running full steam for example, is to change the shutter speed and quite possible the aperture size. You’ll have to refer to your owner’s guide for this. Other than that, try to angle yourself so as to have as much sun on your subject as possible, and use a tripod.
8 – Ceremonies. When trying to take pictures of people participating in ceremonies such as presentations, recitals, or graduations, try to catch your subject when they pause or are in mid stride. As with sporting events, sometimes it adds effect to a picture if the subjects legs are blurred. It gives the feeling of action. If you want sharp pictures of them as they walk though, you’ll need to use your flash and a tripod. Depending on the camera, you’ll probably have to adjust the shutter speed and the aperture size as well.
9 – Fast Action. Because movement is such a critical element of childhood, sometimes, you’ll want to capture one or more children who are busily engaged in a moving activity, such as when playing tag or soccer. This is one of the most difficult things to do with a digital camera, especially when there are multiple children moving at the same time. The only way you’re going to capture clear images of such movement is by speeding up the shutter speed of your camera. In general, you’ll want to set the shutter speed as high as it will go. You might also need to adjust the aperture to keep everyone in the picture in focus. Quite often at higher shutter speeds the camera has difficulty figuring out what exactly it is you want to be the central focus of your pictures. Also, use your zoom. It will help get you closer to the action.
10 – Take LOTS of pictures. Finally, no matter who or what you are trying to capture with your digital camera, you’ll find you get better results if you take as many pictures as you possibly can. Play the odds. As you increase the number of pictures taken, you increase the number of good ones you’ll produce. As you take more pictures, you’ll begin to remember what you did to get those good pictures and apply those techniques to those you take in the future.
The ten tips above should help anyone interested in improving the quality of the pictures of children they take with a digital camera. In addition to the tips above, one of the best things you can to do improve your children’s photography, is to keep your camera handy and use it often. It’s almost impossible to tell when a child is going to be cute. Be prepared. There is nothing that can help you more than your own experience. Good luck.
