DOCUMENT YOUR LIFE | How to take photos of your kids blog series

DOCUMENT YOUR LIFE: HOW TO TAKE PICTURES OF YOUR KIDS

Hi friends! I just finished a four-part blog series of super quick tips to document your life during the little years. I want to recap it all in one place right here for you!

Take Pictures during NAPTIME. Get close on the details and get far away to capture many things at once. Up close, focus on things like fingers, toes, eyelashes, dimples, drool… Far away focus on the many things like the furniture, wall decor, tablescapes, and whatever else is in the background. If your kids are past the sleeping naptime stage, take pictures of them up close as they do “their thing: whatever that is.” Hair styles and freckles shan’t be forgotten.
Get Outside and Take a Nature Walk with your kids. Stay behind them or run ahead and just observe. See where they set their interest and what they find. Let them get curious and ask good questions. Photograph when they run ahead, when they squat down to inspect something little. Photograph when they climb high or disappear into the brambles. And, be sure to snap pictures of their favorite discoveries (we found raspberries and butterflies and insects and a garter snake sunning up high on a bush) Don’t force them to smile at you or say “cheese” as that takes away from the story.
All those things they’ll lose but claim are their favorite toy? The Lego you’ve stepped on and cringed. The creation they built with wooden blocks. Snap pictures of their things! Even the hats, boots, crocs or swimming goggles. You’ll want to stack up their favorite books or snap a picture of their bedside shelf with their special things on it. All the babies in a cradle, lovingly smothered… take their picture too. Don’t ask them to smile at you or say “cheese” as that takes away from the story.
The everyday ordinary household things like mealtime prep and chores. These will be harder to think of because they do them so often you don’t even realize it’s worth documenting. It is. Are they in classes on the computer? Study on their beds? Known around the house for a certain helpful habit like folding towels or sorting socks? Snap that picture of them carrying the load of laundry! Don’t ask them to smile at you or say “cheese” as that takes away from the story.

Thanks for joining me on this little adventure. I hope you have a great set of starter ideas to get the camera pointed on the everyday extra-ordinary mundane…

POST YOUR PICTURES ON INSTAGRAM with the hashtag #documentordinary and TAG ME @amykatephotography!

Be sure to check out all the other posts in the series DOCUMENTING LIFE, Pictures parents can take!

Each post has pictures as examples I’ve snapped this summer in our everyday life filled with ordinary moments.

August 22, 2020August 22, 2020

Lifestyle Photography at Home PART 4 AROUND THE HOME | photos moms and dads can take

This is part four in a series of HOW TO TAKE PICTURES OF YOUR KIDS.
If you’re new, start here: PART 1.

Document your life. Part 4

When Families look back at photographs and memories from years past, there is a much richer story to the little details than there is when you see a picture of everyone dressed pristinely with smiles directed at the camera. Those are lovely images. But what makes a memory come back is when you can see the details. I’m adding a few more examples into each post I’m doing in this series, to try to help families. Help a mom or a dad capture the ordinary, everyday moments.

The details make a memory come to life.

The chubby little fingers. Scrawny legs. Summer scratches on their summer knees. Remembering the smells and sounds of those days… that’s what we want. When you document your every day life, you’re going to capture those memories clearer! Keep snapping pictures of the little things.

PART ONE In the first post, I shared with you some photos from the couch of the elusive toddler NAPTIME.

PART TWO Then I shared with you a NATURE WALK WITH THE KIDS where we hiked out and found some raspberries.

PART THREE I shared with you some photos and ideas of ways you can capture their actual THINGS LIKE TOYS, CLOTHING and SNACKS.

TODAY, I will share with you some examples of how you can capture their stage of life by what they are doing around the house. There are chores, interests and activities that are worth remembering!

Document your Life, Part 4. Ordinary Moments around the house.

When you think of your daily routine, you might not see the beauty in those ordinary moments… but when when look back on pictures, we look to see what car we had then, how red the walls were before the reno, and what the house looked like before… We are looking for the things you wouldn’t necessarily think about. Get a fuzzy-haired morning in PJs picture.

Get routines like brushing teeth, sweeping, tidy beds, reading books (The favorite books in a stack or on the nightstand would be a good one to capture for Part 3: The Things)!

Take pictures of kids doing their daily things, and, photographing it at their level.

Images of the games they play, the bags they pack, the places they go…

AND Lastly, remember to JUST take the picture.

Everyday, ordinary moments like getting dressed, changing a diaper, hanging up clothes.

August 22, 2020August 22, 2020

Lifestyle Photography at Home PART 3 THE KIDS TOYS AND THINGS | photos moms and dads can take

Document your life. Part 3

When Families look back at photographs and memories from years past, there is a much richer story to the little details than there is when you see a picture of everyone dressed pristinely with smiles directed at the camera. Those a lovely images. But what makes a memory come back is when you can see the details. I’m adding a little more examples into each post I’m doing in this series, to try to help families. Help a mom or a dad capture the ordinary, everyday moments.

The details make a memory come to life.

PART ONE In the Last post, I shared with you some photos from the couch of the elusive toddler NAPTIME.

PART TWO Then I shared with you a NATURE WALK WITH THE KIDS where we hiked out and found some raspberries.

PART THREE TODAY, I am going to share with you some photos and ideas of ways you can capture their actual things.

DOCUMENT THEIR ACTUAL THINGS

Taking pictures of their Toys, Baskets, Shoes, or whatever it is that will someday remind you of these days. You’ll want to find ways to remind

Look for things they hold or wear… The snakes the catch. The crocs they live in. The fruit snacks they ask for every day. The paw patrol. The Lego. The popsicles and around here: freezees! The goggles. The little things… That’s what you can focus on for this piece of documentation!

Remember, Capture it as it is.

Don’t get caught up trying to make it look different than it is. Sure, you can tidy up, or pick the angle and the composition to simplify it, but any picture taken will be better than none!

So, whatever you do to document the little years, just document it. It’s fast, fleeting and so full of beauty and learning! And remember, even something as simple as the couch, a walk outside or sneaking into to their bedroom when they don’t see you coming do a wonderful job canning those memories up for you to enjoy again and again!

Take pictures of the details and their actual things. Toys, foods, clothes, shoes... How to take photos for mom and dad. Document life! www.amykatephoto.com — Take pictures of the details and their actual things. Toys, foods, clothes, shoes… How to take photos for mom and dad. Document life! www.amykatephoto.com

Be sure to check out the other posts in the series DOCUMENTING LIFE, Pictures parents can take!

PART ONE In the first post, I shared with you some photos from the couch of the elusive toddler NAPTIME.

PART TWO I shared with you a NATURE WALK WITH THE KIDS where we hiked out and found some raspberries.

PART THREE I shared with you some photos and ideas of ways you can capture their actual THINGS LIKE TOYS, CLOTHING and SNACKS.

PART FOUR I shared with you some ways to document the ordinary everyday things like chores and household things.

August 22, 2020August 22, 2020

Lifestyle Photography at Home PART 2 NATURE WALK | photos moms and dads can take

On a nature walk in the woods, don't tell the what to look at, where to climb, or what to "do", Simply let their curiosity wonder and keep available your guiding help for safety and education. — On a nature walk in the woods, don’t tell them what to look at, where to climb, or what to “do”. Simply let their curiosity wonder and keep available your guiding help for safety and education.

Document your life.

I said this in the first post too: When Families look back at photographs and memories from years past, there is a much richer story to the little details than there is when you see a picture of everyone dressed pristinely with smiles directed at the camera. Those a lovely images. But what makes a memory come back is when you can see the details. I’m adding a little more examples into each post I’m doing in this series, to try to help families. Help a mom or a dad capture the ordinary, everyday moments.

The details make a memory come to life.

THIS IS PART OF a FOUR PART SERIES exploring examples in storytelling. Be sure to click over and read the other three posts with photographs documenting life at home in the little years.

In the FIRST post, I shared with you some photos from the couch of the elusive toddler NAPTIME.

TODAY, I’m sharing with you a NATURE WALK WITH THE KIDS.

I wanted to share a nature walk for a few reasons. Primarily, Getting kids outside is always a good idea. Next, taking a walk down the driveway or through the field is something we do every day. I want to remember the kids in their element, doing things that we do! Lastly, Watching children delight in the exploration and discovery that nature affords is just a really easy way to get some distance, boost their interest in what’s a hand, and get natural smiles, moans or other emotions. As a bonus, you feel better and learn something every time you go on a walk in nature. Enjoy!

A walk at home, looking at bugs, and spiders.

Swinging on scraggly tree limbs wet with dew.

Running with the dog.

Snatching up handfuls of too-short-stemmed “flowers” for you.

These are the little details you want to remember and will be capturing if you focus on letting your kids do their thing, not saying “Look!” “Hey, over here, Smile!”

Nope.

Just walk behind them a ways, letting them explore.

Wait for moments when the squat down to inspect a creation.

Watch for the little squeals of delight when a butterfly flutters by.

Catch the moments of “in-between” but try let the moment happen naturally, without creating the moment.

Stop at a puddle, a creek, a lake, or even to look in a neighbor's garden. — Stop at a puddle, a creek, a lake, or even to look in a neighbor’s garden. Check out the Raspberries. Explore the woods. Look for snakes. Watch the spiders crawl down their webs. Admire the sky’s changing patterns. Run back home in the pouring rain. Seek shelter in the wilds and the unknowns. Let curiosity think up good questions. Wonder about the tracks you find. Study scat… These are all super easy, fun, and free ways to spend time with your kids!

****Additional Thought: Oh, and did you see those pictures of me here, too? Getting in the frame with kids is quick and easy if you learn how to set your timer. (on my canon it’s just two clicks away to the 10-sec timer.) But this step also got easier when I taught my kids how to handle the big camera. They’re better at it than with a phone. No more fingers in the way and more likely to focus on the subject. Oh, and they usually take it more seriously when I give them the real camera, and don’t snap nine hundred images in bursts like they would on my iPhone. Insert eyeroll emoji.

ENJOY!

As I mentioned in the previous post, it is so helpful to have a goal in mind in taking pictures, but you don’t have to have it just right, you just have to have it! Capture it as it is.

Don’t get caught up trying to make it look different than it is. Sure, you can pick the angle and the composition to simplify it, but any picture will be better than none!

So, whatever you do to document the little years, just document it. It’s fast, fleeting and so full of beauty and learning! And remember, even something as simple as a walk outside does a wonderful job canning those memories up for you to enjoy again and again!

Again, this is part of a four-part blog post series focusing on parents documenting their life with kids in the little years. Each of these posts offer a quick tip to just take the picture, each post focusing on a different tip.

Be sure to check out the others in this Document Life series with examples of how to take pictures of your kids when they aren’t looking!

PART ONE In the first post, I shared with you some photos from the couch of the elusive toddler NAPTIME.

PART TWO Here I shared with you a NATURE WALK WITH THE KIDS where we hiked out and found some raspberries.

PART THREE I shared with you some photos and ideas of ways you can capture their actual THINGS LIKE TOYS, CLOTHING and SNACKS.

PART FOUR I shared with you some ways to document the ordinary everyday things like chores and household things.

August 22, 2020August 22, 2020

Lifestyle Photography at Home PART 1 NAPTIME | photos moms and dads can take

HOW-TO Take Pictures of your kids when they’re not looking.

Document your life, capturing the details of the little years. Moms and Dads can take these pictures!

Document your life. Part 1

The details make a memory come to life.

Naptime on the couch. With life going on around him, this three year old brings us back to the days of snuggles, whines, and running fast to keep up with his older siblings. I will remember those dirty bare feet pedaling in fast circles to keep up with the boys. I will remember those sticky cheeks, sweetened with jelly from his earlier snack of toast. I will remember the little years and the treasure it is.

Capture it as it is.

Don’t get caught up trying to make it look different than it is. Sure, you can pick up a dirty tissue or stray items out of the scene to simplify it, but any picture will be better than none!

So, whatever you do to document the little years, just document it. It’s fast, fleeting and so full of beauty and learning! And remember, even something as simple as naptime does a wonderful job canning that up for you!

Take notice of the little details around you that you don’t want to forget. Balled up fists, fluttering eyes, and sandy hair. Document your life, capturing the details of the little years. Moms and Dads can take these pictures!

Get close to the details and far away for MORE details… books and decor, furniture, clothes. www.amykatephoto.com How-To Document your life, capturing the details of the little years. Moms and Dads can take these pictures!

This is part 1 of a 4 part series. Be sure to check out the others in this Document Life series with examples of how to take pictures of your kids when they aren’t looking!

PART ONE In the first post, I shared with you some photos from the couch of the elusive toddler NAPTIME.

PART TWO Then I shared with you a NATURE WALK WITH THE KIDS where we hiked out and found some raspberries.

PART THREE I shared with you some photos and ideas of ways you can capture their actual THINGS LIKE TOYS, CLOTHING and SNACKS.

PART FOUR I shared with you some ways to document the ordinary everyday things like chores and household things.