Candid Kids Photography Ideas, Tips and Techniques

Candid Kids Photography

Candid kids photography can be a painstaking task to accomplish especially if you don’t understand how children act around cameras and people taking photos of them. It can be pretty difficult especially if you’re just a beginner photographer. Here are some tips on candid kids photography to help you get some amazing photos of little rascals.

Patience and Luck

First, you need a lot of patience when dealing with kids. Children react differently from each other when they are having their photos taken. Your best bet is to take their photo without them knowing. They are most interesting when they are engaged in their favorite things to do like playing and exploring their surroundings, so you may have to sit back and wait for them to forget that you are there before you take a candid photo. With some luck, you can capture some amazing photos of kids even when they know you’re taking their photo.

Capture the Moment

A lot of the time, kids just stop what they are doing and stare at the camera when they see someone taking a picture of them. That would be boring and awkward. You may want to keep your distance to hide your presence and the fact that you’re taking their photo. This way, you can catch them at their most candid moments. Having awesome zoom lens will come in really handy in these situations. There are moments with kids that catch you off guard, though, and you have to be ready for these instances.

The Right Angle

Since the little rascals are way smaller than you, taking their photos while you’re standing up will give you an awkward angle. You will miss out on some of the drama and nuances of the moment if you’re taking a photo from a bird’s eye view. The perfect angle for taking photos of kids is at their eye level. This will take some effort from you if the moment is suddenly presented to you and you only have a few seconds to capture it without scaring away the kid. You will have to be alert and fast to get a decent shot of the child before they look at you and freeze.

Put Them at Ease

Sometimes, you will have no other option but to let them know that you’re taking their photo and you just have to hope that they don’t cry, run away or hit you with something. In these situations, you need to make them feel comfortable with your presence, and your camera’s as well. You will find it surprising when they suddenly feel comfortable with you taking pictures of them and they start posing and smiling on their own. Take advantage of these moments because they are rare with most children.

Nap Time

This is one situation when you’re free to move around and take your time in setting up your shots. You can even get beautiful details and extreme close up shots. Whether in color or in black and white, you can get photos with drama and without hassle. Just make sure that you’re quiet.

For more tips, please read How to Take Fantastic Photographs of Your Baby - A Guide for New Parents.