5 Photo Opps to Grab of Your Kids This Summer

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Teresa from Tiaras and Tantrums is here today to share 5 photo ideas for you to take with your kids this summer.

When the summer sunshine finally arrives, I can’t wait to spend time outdoors with my children! We wait so long to enjoy the elusive sun here in Chicago, when it finally makes an appearance; we are outdoors all day long.

I’m sure your family feels the same. I have a few tips for you to remember and record all your playful moments while you are active enjoying the sunshine this summer. Here are some of my creative secrets.

5 Photo Opps to Grab of Your Kids This Summer

Lie Down

Don’t just stand in front of your child while they are playing – get lower. Lie on the ground just to the side of the area where they are playing or if you are brave, right underneath! Then snap a dazzling photo—the sky will be a brilliant blue behind your child.

Sun

If you’re basking in the sunshine outdoors; add a fun element to your photos by giving your child a pair of sunglasses to wear. You never know what you will get while your child wears hip shades. I love the result I captured when I gave my daughter these fun shades. A really fun and sassy photo that will always bring a smile to my face. This simple trick produces great results.

Pin Wheel

Set your camera on Portrait mode and get in close. Have your child hold the Pin Wheel in front of their face—as far as their arms can reach. Let the camera focus on the Pin Wheel while your child’s face blurs slightly in the background—this technique will create a nice depth of field in your photo.

Tip: This technique works well for photographing your child holding any item. {ie: popsicle, flowers etc}

Slide

Sit on the ground directly in front of the slide and play a game with your child. Prop your elbows on the slide and aim upward as your child comes down the slide. Don’t forget to move your camera out of the way so you both don’t collide. Naturally, this is the game part and will garner huge giggles.

Take some photos on the way down and barely escape to get the best smiles. Your child will be laughing the entire way down after a couple of these near fatal collisions. You, on the other hand, will have captured the best photo with the biggest smile.

Spinning

Parks in our area no longer have merry-go-rounds, so we have to make do with spinning seats. Simply let your child spin away and focus your camera on your child. Once the spinning begins, snap away.  The background will be blurred and your child will be in focus.
Remember to take your camera with you as you enjoy the sunshine outdoors this summer.

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.