I imagine many of us as home these days with our families and fur babies working around the clock and maybe stepping out for the occasional walk. I know I am. Being at home means I am also picking up my iPhone a lot more to document this time in our lives as you may be too.
Are you struggling to take sharp iPhone photos? For the first year or so my iPhone photos weren’t the greatest (and I’m a photographer). It wasn’t until I really learned how to use my iPhone properly and studied a number of simple techniques that I started to get really great photos such as this one above of my daughter on our recent vacation.
You really only need are a few simple iPhone photography tips. I’ve noted my top 10 easy tips to help you take better photos of your kiddos. My next post with tips will cater more to indoor photos and how to use natural light in your home given that we’ve all been ordered to stay home for another 4 weeks.
1. Keep your photos simple
Start by keeping your pictures simple especially when taking portraits. You want to avoid as many distractions as possible whether is distracting clothing or too much clutter. Here’s an example of an indoor photo in a master bedroom with a newborn lying down on a simple duvet.
1. Hold your camera right
The way you hold your iPhone when using the camera app is very important and will play a big reason on why your photos may not be in-focus. In order to get sharp photos, you need to hold your phone as steady as possible. The images below show you my recommended way to hold your phone when taking photos. I’m right-handed so I’m using my left hand to hold my phone and my right thumb to click the home button to release the shutter.
3. Take photos from your subjects level
Most people take iPhone photos from chest height. This is usually the most convenient way of taking a picture because it’s the most convenient for us. But there are usually more creative options for taking great photos including getting down to your subjects level. This simple tip will instantly improve the photos of your children. This may mean bending down, or even laying on the floor.
4. Lock your exposure and focus
The AE/AF Lock feature is so important for achieving amazing photos with the correct focus and exposure (lighting). Simply tap the screen to choose the part of the image you want to focus on and expose. Than tap and hold on your focal point until you see an AE/AF Lock banner appear at the top of the screen. Your focus and exposure is now locked and your ready to take photos in that setting without your iPhone reverting back to auto.
5. Direct the viewer’s eye with leading lines
Use leading lines in your composition to convey a sense of depth and lead the viewers eye to your subject. Things like roads, paths, rivers and fences make excellent leading lines. This draws the viewer through the scene, making your photo more engaging.
6. Capture Close-Up Detail
You may have heard the phrase, “It’s the little things.” Sometimes, that also applies to photos. Close-up images that capture small, intricate, and delicate details can make for really compelling visual content. One of the biggest photography mistakes is not getting close enough to the subject.
7. Photograph Reflections
Reflections make wonderful iPhone photography of your kids and fur babies. You can find reflections on many different surfaces including water, glass, metal and ice. I think water is the best surface for capturing reflections such as this puddle of rain.
8. Use Symmetry
Using symmetry is a fun way to create a striking image. Challenge yourself to find symmetrical scenes wherever you go. Then compose your photos so that both halves of the photo are identical (or almost identical).
10. Edit your photos with filters
Do you want to know how to turn a good picture into an amazing one? It’s simple. You just need to do some basic editing. You don’t need high-end editing skills or expensive filters to add that “wow” to your photos. The easiest way to apply beautiful effects to your photos is to use a filter such as VSCO – it’s one of the best filter apps for applying beautiful, understated filters to your images.
Taking better photos of your kids does not have to be super hard. Following a few simple tips can instantly give you better results and help in preserving lasting memories through beautiful images.
If you want to learn to take amazing iPhone photos of your kids or want to take your iPhone photography to a whole new level, follow this link to get notified when our online course will be launching soon.
If you have any photos you’ve taken that need some editing, feel free to email them to me at hello@anchorstudio.ca with the subject line Photos to Edit and I will gladly edit them for you during this quarantine.
Here are more blog posts in different locations in Toronto both outdoors and in-studio showing why you should hire a photographer to capture your beautiful family.
Family photo shoot at Scarborough Bluffs
Family and maternity photos at Scottsdale Farm
Family and cake smash photo shoot at Mint Room Studios
Family and cake smash photo shoot in The Solarium Studio
Family photos at The Evergreen Brickworks
HOW TO BOOK
There are a few ways you can book. You can book right online using this tab which leads you to my online booking calendar. However, not all available dates are on that calendar so if you need a different date, send me an email! You can reach me at hello@anchorstudio.ca
Anchor Studio Photography specializes providing a full service experience that starts with booking your session and ends with getting beautiful tangible heirloom products being displayed in your home. My style of soft, candid and timeless photos can be seen in all my maternity, newborn, child and family portraits in Greater Toronto Area, including Oakville, Mississauga, North York and Richmond Hill. If you are interested in booking a portrait session for your family, you can click here to book your session. I am now booking sessions for summer 2020, so don’t hesitate to get in touch soon!
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[…] Here are some photos of my 2 kids at High Park located at Toronto to inspire you to brave the start taking snowy, outdoors of your family. And yes, you can capture similar results with an iPhone. If you have yet to read my iPhone Photography tips here’s the link […]