Tips for Taking Valentine’s Day Photos of Your Children

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Guest Post by Teresa of Tiaras & Tantrums.

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and what better way to celebrate than taking some photos of your children to remember this special holiday. It is so easy to get really creative with this holiday whether taking photos of your own children or for clients. The possibilities are really endless and you can create something really adorable.

I want to share some tips with you about how to make your Valentine’s Day a bit more special, simply by using your camera.

Background

There are so many different choices when thinking of backdrops for Valentine’s photos. Colorful paper, holiday wrapping paper, painted plywood, fabric, curtains, crepe paper. Really, your imagination is your only limit here. I took some photos of my girls today and I simply hung my white muslim backdrop and added a colorful Valentines banner for a bit of whimsy.

Another great addition to a great backdrop would be a paper garland, paper pinwheels, paper rosette flowers, or banners. These small additions add so much to a simple backdrop and are easy to create and a fun activity for you to do with your children.

Props

Giving children props is the perfect way to keep them occupied so they don’t feel inclined to ‘run’, especially the little ones. Have a basket of props prepared ahead of time so children can pick and choose what they would like to use for photos. The motions of using a prop creates giggles and great photos. Some goodies I keep in my basket are usually holiday related. For Valentines I had loads of heart shaped props, boas, balloons, flowers and scarves. Another great idea is to keep gender props available. I have loads of gorgeous headbands for girls to choose from and some fun holiday-themed bow ties for boys.

Treats

I don’t know many children who don’t like cupcakes, candy and treats. Here is where I will promote bribery for good behavior. Beautiful smiles garner a lollipop, eh? Cupcakes, lollies, cookies or pretzels all make wonderful props as well.
What better way to celebrate the holiday of love than with pictures of those you love the most!

Teresa is a family lifestyle photographer who is happy homeschooling her three children in the Christian classical education theory in the suburbs of Chicago. You can find her on her blog Tiaras & Tantrums or on Twitter as @tiarastantrums.