A photographer's guide to taking great Easter morning photos
Tips for Easter photos
Spring has sprung here in Middle Tennessee and Easter is just around the corner. If you are anything like me, you are knee deep in your hunt to find the perfect outfits for Easter morning. It's always so tricky to find the right balance of pastels, don't you think? But, somehow it always comes together. And then what fun Easter is with the kids looking so dapper and finding baskets full of goodies in the morning. Of course, since you worked so hard to find outfits, you pull out your phone, because just have to get a great picture of your precious kids, am I right?
Getting the perfect shot is easier said than done. However, there are some things you can do to make sure your photos great, so you can keep the memories of Easter morning in those precious outfits forever.
Find the good light
The best photos made with a phone are usually taken outside in natural light. So if you can, put your kids’ Easter baskets on the front porch for them to find. There, you will be able to get plenty of natural light while they find their treats.
When it comes time for a family portrait, try heading outside again. Now, I know that your first instinct for taking a family photo outside is to go stand next to that beautiful blooming tree in your yard. However, if it’s sunny, that tree might be throwing strange patterns of light on you. Bright sunlight is often very harsh, and isn't super flattering for a quick family photo. Instead, look for even shade. This is going to be somewhere outside that is fully shaded, so that the sun doesn't put any strange bright spots or shadows on your faces. If there isn't a great shaded spot available, the next best thing is to put the sun to your backs, so at least your faces are not in full sun, and you aren't squinting.
Of course, if it's raining on Easter morning and you can't head outside, that's okay too! Try standing the kids next to a large window to get as much natural light as possible. If you have indoor lights on, try turning them off so there isn’t conflicting color casts in your photos and your phone can auto correct for color more easily.
Watch out for the background
It's so easy get focused on everyone's expressions that you might not have given too much attention to the background of your shot. However, a quick glance can make sure your snapshots turn out awesome. If there is something distracting in the background, try shifting your perspective slightly. You might be surprised at how much a photo can change if you step a few inches to the left or right! Also keep an eye out to make sure nothing in the background is growing out of someone's head. Typical culprits are telephone poles, post on the front porch, or tree branches.
Composition counts
When you get the kids lined up, take a second to look at your photo… how does everything line up? Is everyone gathered together well, or does someone look like they’re a little disconnected? Do you have someone’s feet cut off? Before snapping away, take a moment to make adjustments. Also, how’s your perspective? Sometimes, for shooting kids, it’s best to kneel down to their level. When they’re hunting for Easter eggs, try getting down on their level instead of shooting from above.
Shoot fast and embrace the imperfections
Kids are wiggly and short on attention span, especially when they are new toys and chocolates near by, so try shooting on burst mode if your phone allows. This will let you take a whole lot of pictures very rapidly so you can pick the best one later. Here’s a tutorial for burst mode on iPhone. Of course, no matter how great you do with your phone, things still might not be perfect, and that’s ok! What’s most important is that you capture the memories. Right now, most of my pictures with my toddler are of him not cooperating in a rather significant manner, but hey- that’s just the season of life we’re in at the moment, and I know one day when I look back at these photos I can remember him just as he is now, tantrums and all.
Spring minis
If you happen to want a professional family photographer to get some great photos of your kids in their super cute Easter outfits, you’re in luck! I’m offering spring minis soon! Contact me for details.