Throwing a kids birthday party can be stressful enough. There are so many things to think about with planning and preparing. Sometimes making sure those things get captured in photographs are last minute thoughts.
Being a mom first and photographer second, I can totally relate to the in’s and out’s of party planning PLUS wanting to get some great photographs to remember my kiddos special day. These are memories you aren’t going to get back, they are one and million so why not make it easy.
You don’t have to bust out the “nice camera” or even be a photographer to capture some fun memorable moments your family will cherish forever during birthdays. Here are a few tips and tricks to get the most of our your kids birthday party photos.
- Designate a party photographer– This is where friends or family members that ask to help can be useful. Let then do the work so you don’t have to! Hand them your camera or your camera phone (yes, camera phones are perfect for taking birthday photos and yes they do print out nicely. I have a 16×20 canvas hanging in my home taken with an iPhone!).
- Make A list– Whether you designate a guest to be the photographer or not, it’s smart to make a list of what you want photographed. Maybe there is a special present and you want to capture the look of the birthday kiddo when they open it, or maybe a special visiting guest will be there, put it on the list. You’ll be sure to capture everything you want to remember if you have it on your list.
- When photographing kids GET LOW- This is the first tip any child photographer will say. You don’t have to be a pro to know the secret, get low on the kids eye level to photograph their cute faces. Eye level photos of children can make for some really sweet shots!
- Candid VS Posed- It’s hard to get kids to pose for photos. I, a child photographer, even struggle with that. Kids want to play, be interactive and not be told to sit and smile. So capture both candid and posed shots. The secret to capturing candid shots is stand back and wait for the moment… it always happens. Oh and don’t forget the details of the party!
- Print, print & print– Those photos don’t do any good in your camera, on social media or just sitting on a USB. Print your images, your kids will thank you, trust me. Local labs such as Moto Photo on Tatum and Greenway offer great prices on prints. As does Costco. Online sources like Shutterfly, Mpix and Tiny Prints are perfect places to make mini photos albums or designing fun projects with your birthday photos like wall clings, phone cases and even thank you cards to send to your guests after the party!
Finally, if the party has begun and every tip and trick has been thrown out the window, no worries just start snapping… memories are the most important and better to be captured than not.
Happy Snapping!
Malia