Tips for taking pictures WITH your kids

I often get asked how I am able to take pictures with my boys. Answer: It's actually pretty easy, I just do it.  Now some of you might think that it's just not that easy.  I'm here to tell you that it can be!

My advice is to keep it simple, keep it short and most of all, keep it fun!

Made sure my room looked decent before I had the boys come in.  Then I set the tripod in front of the window so that we were facing the window for the best natural light.

Keep it simple:
- Use your own home where your kids feel most comfortable.
- Set up a tripod and if you are able to, use a remote! (I got mine for $20 off Amazon)
- Have everything ready and set up before you call the kids over to take pictures.
- Don't ask them to do anything crazy that might distract them from the pictures you want to take.

Set up the bottom half of my photo booth and taped pieces of crepe paper to it.  We were facing our big sliding glass door.

Keep it short:
- Kids have short attention spans!  So keep it down to about 10 minutes.
- My boys are at their best in the morning.  If I want to plan pictures, the morning is the best time for us.
- Again, make sure everything is ready before you have them come over for pictures.  If they have to wait for you, they can get bored and that's when the trouble starts.
-If they aren't into it at first you can always stop and try later.
- If all else fails, bribe them!  I'm not going to lie, if I can tell Hudson is not totally into it, I tell him I will give him a piece of candy if he is good.  :)

Keep it fun:
- Use props. I like to use what we have like dress-up clothes and toys.
- Allow them to make funny faces!  It doesn't have to be serious and simple smiles.
- Jump!
- Give your kids adult accessories like hats and glasses.  How cute for them look back at them wearing their daddy's stuff.
- Play some music.
- Play Simon says!  You are guaranteed to get a bunch of silly faces with a bunch of good ones too. Example: Simon says give me a sad face.  Simon says to give me your best smile.
- Have a remote?  Let your kids use it!
- Allow them to come up with a concept for the pictures.  They just might surprise you!

It's so important to take pictures with your kids.  They will seriously appreciate every picture they have with you in it with them.  My goal is to take pictures with my boys once a month.  I take pictures of all of us and with each individually.

So here's a new goal for you: If you haven't taken pictures with your kids in a long time, go do it now!  Try.  You just might ending up having a great time.

Summer
Crosbie Crew