DIY Photo shoot Tips

If you check in with my blog, you'll notice around my kids birthdays, I post pictures from a DIY photo shoot.  This tradition started a few years ago, and the special time spent together is loved by all the kids.  (When you're one of four kids, individual time doesn't happen every day, and the kids just soak it up!)  I also like to take our yearly Christmas card picture.  We've made it a yearly tradition to go to Santa Claus, IN to do a photo shoot and go visit Santa afterwards.

I would call myself an amateur photographer with a descent digital camera.  I have very limited experience with editing (I bought a program called Corel and have taught myself some basic editing) but regardless of all that, we always end up with pictures from our photo shoot that we love.

I've come up with some tips for you to have the same success if you do your own photo shoot!
 

Great background, her favorite stuffed animal, and perfect weather! (a little preview of Krissy's birthday pics)

Select a location with pretty backgrounds.
We have several great options in our town.  Gardens and parks make for great backgrounds as long as there aren't going to be a lot of people walking in and out of your pictures.  Also homes with pretty yards have been a go-to location for us in the past.
 
If you're taking pictures outside, take them as the sun is rising or right before it sets.
That time of day is called the "golden hour" for a reason.  It's the best time to take pictures!  Your subject(s) won't have squinty/blinky eyes, and the sun won't be blinding anyone.

Bring a prop or two.
My kids all have a favorite stuffed animal or blanket.  I love including these props in a few pictures.  In previous years, I've brought a prop that goes with their birthday theme too (a unicorn horn for the year Allie had a unicorn party).  For Christmas pictures, I've added ornaments to evergreen trees.  This just requires a little thinking ahead of time!  Old blankets to set in the grass are always a popular prop too.
  
Plan to spend about an hour taking pictures.
That sounds like a lot of time, but it always flies by for me.  I like to explore the area with the kids, and capture their natural expressions.


Take lots of pictures!    
Maybe I take too many, but I'd rather have too many than not enough.  I usually end the hour with 300-400 pictures.  With that being said, there's usually less than 100 that are keepers.  I think my camera age and lens quality may have something to do with it, but I get blurry photos, or my auto focus will focus on the wrong thing.  That's why I recommend taking so many pictures!   

Don't take extra people with you, unless they have a specific job.
The more people that are around, or the more you have to stop to attend to other kiddos, the more distracted you and your subject(s) will be.  I love when my husband can go with me.  He's a pro at getting the kids to smile their best, natural smiles.  That's the most helpful when I'm trying to get my yearly Christmas card picture!

Remember to have fun!
I like to sing, dance, tell jokes, make funny faces all for the sake of getting great smiles.  My husband will do hand stands and hang in trees to get a good laugh.  If you're stressed and not having fun, your subject(s) will feel the same way!