When my Brady was born (He’s five now and just started kindergarten!), I was determined to document all of our adventures together. He was a pretty easygoing baby and sat pretty still for all the pictures my camera could hold. I took so many photos because I wanted to remember every single memory we made together as a family of three. I knew that the days were long but the years were short, and I didn’t want to look back and wish I had more photos to remember those precious days.
Fast forward a few years, and we now have toddler twins who refuse to sit still for more than five seconds at a time. They are definitely more rambunctious than their big brother, so getting great pictures of them is quite the challenge. Thankfully, I’ve learned a few tricks for getting great photos and making sure everyone has fun during the process.
Our friends at Gerber are hosting their annual Photo Search, and you might want to run to get your camera to get the perfect shot! After all, you could win $50,000, and your little one could appear in Gerber ads! I know it’s not always the easiest to get a great shot but here are some tips. Once you have the shot you want, pick your favorite and enter here until October 28, 2016!
1) Determine the best time of day. Attempting to get good pictures when your baby is tired or hungry isn’t fun for anyone. Try taking your photos at different times throughout the day to see what works best for your baby. I’ve found that I get the best images of my twins after breakfast, but before their morning nap. They have full tummies and aren’t overtired yet. It’s their happiest time of day, and that definitely shows in the photos.
2) Enlist the help of props. Most babies won’t look straight at the camera and smile, but they will smile at their favorite toy monkey dancing right above the camera! Make sure you have something (or someone!) to distract them and make them laugh at the same angle as the camera. In the photo, your baby will look like they’re looking at the camera, when they’re actually grinning at the distraction.
3) Take a million photos. When I’m trying to get a good picture of the twins, I’ll take pictures non-stop for a few minutes, hoping to catch them at the perfect moment! If you’re using an actual camera (not your smartphone), make sure it’s set on a fast shutter speed. The faster the shutter speed, the less likely your photo is to be blurry. Plus the faster shutter speed will also help you take more pictures in a shorter amount of time! If you’re on your smartphone, hold the camera button down for what’s called a “burst” (lots of photos taken consecutively) and choose your favorite!
4) Don’t stress about getting the perfect photo. When Mama is stressed, everyone is stressed—and it shows in your photos! Stay calm. If you don’t get a good photo on the first attempt, try again the next day! The stress will rub off on everyone and will only make it more difficult to get a great shot.
5) Have fun! The best baby photos are completely candid. Try to snap a few photos while you’re playing peek-a-boo or having a puppet show. If you’re genuinely having fun with your baby, your photo will show authentic happiness and joy. Give yourself a break from trying to catch the perfect moment and just have fun. That’s when the best smiles happen.
