Spring is here! To help us capture those perfect wildflower and Easter shots of our little ones, we are pleased to welcome Shannon Cunningham. Shannon is a photographer and mom who has kindly offered to guest blog with us at My Baby Concierge and share a few photography tips. Here is Shannon's advice:
Few things go together like your kids and a camera. I know that I have taken thousands and thousands of images of my daughter and I never tire of it. She changes almost daily and I want to remember all of it. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your photos. All of these images are personal photos of my favorite model, my daughter, who is now a rambunctious two year old.
Details, Details, Details
In my opinion, few things are cuter than tiny little baby feet and chubby thighs. Newborns are amazing little things, but they are not the most exciting subjects. I love to shoot images of little hands and feet. Have your baby hold on to your hand for comparison and shoot that. In a few months, you’ll be amazed at how tiny their hands were.
As my daughter gets older, I try to isolate other little details about her. Here, I zoomed in close to capture her eyelashes.
Get Off Your Pedestal
Shooting downward on your child is easy and instinctual. You point, you click, but your photo doesn’t quite capture what you wanted. Try shooting things from your child’s perspective. Get down on your knees or climb up on the swing set with them. Get close! You’ll not only get to see the world through their eyes, you’ll get a better photo.
Look for the LightFind beautiful light and you will create a beautiful image. It’s really that simple. You can turn an everyday image into something extraordinary with great lighting. This picture was taken in a bathroom, but it’s interesting because of the dramatic lighting coming through the window.
Here’s your homework assignment - Take a few minutes during the day to watch how the sun reflects off different surfaces in your house during the early morning and afternoon hours and put your child in what you think is beautiful light. Experiment! It’s half the fun.
Here’s another example. I am shooting directly into the sun in this one and I love the effect.
Your Camera Came with a Manual for a ReasonI know, I know. You’re a mom and the last thing you have time for is reading a camera manual! Trust me; you’ll be glad you did when your camera is flashing some weird symbol right before your baby flashes his first smile. You’ll get so much more enjoyment out of your camera if you know what it’s capable and not capable of doing. Keep the manual in your camera bag too. It’s always good to have it for reference.
Finally, Just Keep ShootingNot every picture is going to be a masterpiece. Photography for me is about preserving memories and documenting a story. Your child has a wonderful story that they will create right in front of you. Don’t stop shooting!
Shannon Cunningham is a wedding and portrait photographer based in Austin. She can be found chasing her two year old around town, often with camera in hand. Her work can be found at:
http://www.shannoncunninghamphoto.com/ and
http://shannoncunninghamphoto.blogspot.com/
Kacie, Yvonne & Alissa
