Kids are adorable and fun to be with particularly when they're in a good mood.
But they can be quite a challenge if you're taking photos of them, whether one child is involved or more than one.
There's no reason to worry much, however, because there are steps you can do to achieve your goal of capturing great images of children.
What matters is you have the right attitude and you're committed to succeed in this endeavor despite the challenges involved.
Patience is the main requirement.
Children are full of energy and have short attention span.
If they see that you're upset over their actions, they might get affected and will no longer cooperate with you.
To be patient is to be able to adjust to their behavior and communicate with them in a nice way that they'll listen to you.
Communication is vital as well.
Speaking softly and clearly but firmly will help you get their attention.
Interact with them and ask them questions while you're shooting.
Another way to keep them glued in one place is to give them toys to play with.
This is one opportunity that you can capture lots of reactions and you may shift from the face to the hands and to a whole body shot.
This is also one effective way of getting a portrait photo in the studio.
To diffuse light when shooting indoor, you may simply use a curtain.
A great tip as well is to make the child face the window and position him or her in a way that light is focusing on one side o the face.
If you're going to be shooting outdoors, there are several important things to keep in mind.
The time of day best for capturing images of children are in the early morning or late afternoon.
During these times, the light is not so harsh and the quality is better.
Should you need to shoot at midday, just make sure to avoid the light and shoot in a shaded area.
This will help you avoid too much light and shadows.
Be particular about the background as well.
Make sure that the color of the background is not similar to the child's shirt.
Otherwise, the subject will not be shown clearly in the photo.
Avoid cluttered backgrounds as they're not pleasant to the eye and this applies whether you're shooting indoor or outdoor.
Do remember to shoot within the child's eye level.
What this means is you have to get down on your knees or even on your tummy if necessary.
Use a tripod if possible.
This will help you secure your digital camera and keep it steady while taking pictures and keeping your subjects comfortable and attentive to you.
Finally, don't stress yourself too much but instead have fun with the kids.
They can make you feel young if you know how to deal with them.
And do take lots of pictures if possible because you never know what you're capable of capturing when it comes to kids until you've reviewed your images.