Happy 1st Day of Summer!

Happy Summer, everyone! As summer gets underway, I thought it might helpful to have a few tips on how to take great photos of your kids this summer. And make sure that those iPhone photos get printed so you don’t forget the magic of family summer photos.

I have so enjoyed watching everyone’s travel photos on social media. My own daughter did an epic trip to London and Paris with her grandparents this month and with the help of cellphones, I art-directed a photoshoot of her in front of the Eiffel Tower! Whether you go to Paris or just having a great summer in New Orleans, there is nothing better than looking back at those summer family photos.

How to Take Great Photos of Your Kids this Summer

Time of Day Can Make for a Great Photo

Follow the Light:

For the dreamiest photos, take images 20 minutes before sunset and 15 minutes afterwards. This “golden hour” creates warmth in photos and elevates the finished product.

Find Shade:

For soft skin and no shadows, put your subjects in the shade. Find an overhang, a tree, or even a beach umbrella. Let the surrounding area go bright in the viewfinder and see the difference.

Make that Photo a Candid One

Make Them Move:

For natural photos, ask people to dance to a song you play on your phone or skip towards you. This will make people laugh and loosen up for authentic moments. Family photos in New Orleans can be particularly fun if you find a location where your kids can run around and be silly.

Make Them Giggle:

Put your kiddos in one spot and get ready to snap when you put non-sense to a song or blurt out silly words. Play telephone with them, make sure you are ready to take the photo when the final phrase is announced.

Keep things Clean and Simple

Find a Clean Background:

Make sure you check your backgrounds in a portrait. Poles, cars, other people behind your subject is often distracting.

Find a Different Point of View

Change the Angle:

Get high or low with your camera. Take a picture from your kids’ perspective and try turning your cellphone upside down and putting it on the ground, it will really mix things up.

Print your Memories

And as I always say, find time to print your photos so they don’t get lost in the digital ether. I know I have been guilty of it and regret it. Photos are meant to be enjoyed in the physical form, so make a memory book or get some prints made. If you are looking for some inspiration on what to do with all of those memories, consider doing a soft-cover album from Artifact Uprising, or print out your photos at a professional lab like MPIX.com

Check out my Summer events and offerings below and feel free to forward this email to anyone who might benefit from it. And most importantly, make wonderful memories!