Expert Tips for Priceless Photos

Photographing kids can be tricky- they don’t sit still very long, if at all, and if you ask them to smile, they give you that cheesy grin with scrunched-up nose and no eyes in sight! So my advice is to try to capture them more naturally by following these five tips…

1. Turn off the flash. Capture your kids more naturally by first turning off the flash, using available light and photographing candid moments where they aren’t necessarily aware of you.
2. Do something unexpected. If you want them to look at the camera and smile- don’t ask them to say cheese or ask them to “smile” … do something unexpected to make them laugh, or say something silly to get a genuine smile.
3. Don’t be afraid of a little movement- it’s ok. They move a lot!
4. Capture them having fun. For vacation photos capture them having fun doing what they love- and don’t worry about them looking at the camera for every shot.
5. Photograph different emotions. In everyday life, photograph different emotions. Children show so many different emotions, from happy, to sleepy (a baby’s yawn is one of my favorites!), to an all-out meltdown.

So….Take lots of photos, you don’t have to print them all. And most of all, have fun!

- Elizabeth Galecke, www.elizabethgalecke.com, Elizabeth Galecke Photography is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and specializes in fine art portraiture with an emphasis on black and white. Elizabeth’s portraits capture the subject in a casual, comfortable environment using the outdoors, your home, or her studio as a backdrop. Elizabeth photographs a wide array of subjects ranging from children to bridal portraits.