Photography Tips for Photographing Kids

Let's face it. Kids make the most adorable subject matter, but they are not always at their most cooperative. So here a just a few helpful tips that will have you shooting like a pro!

In addition, these pointers will come in handy when shooting pets, landscapes and other great pictures.

Lighting - lighting can affect the mood or tone of a picture, so pay attention to the light at different times of the day. For example, most outdoor photographers prefer overcast days or late afternoon when the sun will not create harsh shadows or have people squinting.

Frame the Subject - try not to have too much space above the head. Tighten up your shot as much as possible.

Staged Shots - be attentive to the "extras" that are in the photo and try to remove or reposition them. Or reposition yourself so that the unwanted object does not appear in the photo.

Zooming - consider moving closer instead of using the zoom.

Flash - remember to use it whenever you are within 10 feet of your subject.

Extra Shots - experiment! Try snapping a few pictures different ways. With the flash, without, in different angles or positions.

Praise - everyone likes to hear a few words of encouragement. When shooting the kids, pretend you are on a fashion shoot and shout out words of encouragement - "Beautiful", "Great!", or "Perfect!".

Candids - when kids let their guard down, that's when the most amazing pictures happen.

Say Cheese!

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Ok, now you have these wonderful photos. NOW what do you do with them?

Play with Your Photos - if you do not own any image editing software, don't worry! There are numerous websites (like picasa.google.com) that offers imaging software that will let you crop and adjust your photo for free.

Create a Slide Show - there are a number of sites on the web that have the ability to create a slideshow of your photos so that all of your friends and family can see. Check out flickr.com by Yahoo.

Scrapbook - now there's no excuse not to print your digital photos. There are a number of inexpensive digital photo printers o the market now as well as in-store printing services available. Printing your photos is now a snap! So why not create a scarp book of your memories?

And of course, check out www.funplaydates.com for fun ideas to create Technology Crafts.