5 tips for great family photos (with a self timer)

As our baby turns 6 months, I've realised we don't have a single photo of the four of us.

Getting some professional pictures taken is definitely on my to-do list but we've just not got round to it. Life has been busy.

Last weekend I was determind to get a picture - the four of us, our little family, my camera and a self timer. Easy right? 

It took patience, a lot of patience with a toddler running into the garden after every shot and being dragged back to the sofa for 'just one more!'  We got there in the end though.

Here are some of my tips for getting that family shot:

1. Choose your weapon - you may have an SLR or compact camera and a tripod. You may be looking to balance an iPhone on a pile of books. Choose what works for you and work out how to use the self timer function.

2. The set-up - my advice (particularly if you have young children) is to decide on your location in advance (ideally close to a window with some natural daylight). Clear away clutter and any distractions. Use an adult to pose for a trial shot and see how it looks. If you have everything set up in advance, you just literally need to bring the children in and get going.

3. Patience- we bribed our toddler with a biscuit and entertained her with songs. She was not playing ball but we just kept persevering with the self timer, taking numerous shots.

4. Eyes to camera? Do you want everyone looking at the camera? We tried shots some looking at the camera and some away. The image I chose was less posed and more natural. This is the style we prefer but the beauty of the self timer is that you are in charge and you can try lots of different options.

5. Editing - my editing for clients is done on my desktop computer with Photoshop software. Increasingly for day to day family pictures of our life at home I upload my pictures straight to my iPad using an Apple card reader. I then use the VSCO or Snapseed apps to crop, tweak colours and contrast or change to black and white. 

 

Before & After

Before

After

As you can see I chose to be close to a window with plenty of light. I had originally tried to include a painting we have in our kitchen but in the end decided the painting was a little too distracting and cropping in closer would work better. I also decided without the painting, I preferred the picture in black and white form.

Using the self timer is definitely something to try out. It takes a little planning but great to have a family photo ready for framing on your mantelpiece. 

Taking the freelance road

Two years ago I had a great job as Picture and Video Editor for a UK TV channel.

As the end of my maternity leave loomed, I realised I had a big decision to make - do I return to work?

When we sat down and did our sums, it didn't make sense.

I'd be working full-time, we'd be paying London prices for childcare (I shudder) and at the end of the month, I'd be left with just pocket money.

I wanted the best of both worlds. I wanted time with our daughter but also a creative outlet and the chance to use my 10 years of photography and photo editing skills.

I took the plunge. My small newborn and baby photography side business would become my full-time job.

There was a lot that appealed, I would be my own boss, work the hours I wanted and have a good mix of work and family life. I could build up the business slowly and at my own pace.

In recent years many companies have put a greater focus on a healthy work/life balance and flexibility for their employees. This shift in attitude has seen the rise of freelancer communities such as The Hoxby Collective, making it easier than ever to work on your own terms.

I also made the decision that in between photo shoots, I would continue to work on improving my skills and striving to be better at what I do. 

Gone are the days where heading out in the dark to sit in a classroom is the only option. There are loads of great courses online with passionate and enthusiastic teachers. 
 

These are a few I have completed and really enjoyed over the past year:

Makelight

Emily Quinton runs Makelight, a company offering a selection of photography courses and workshops both online and at her London studio. She has a stunning Instagram feed - take a peek here.  I didn't really understand Instagram at first, so looked to Emily and her Beautify Your Instagram course.  She teaches you about composition, editing, hashtags and shares her tips for photographing with a smartphone.  As a mum of four she also offers advice on how to run your creative business whilst balancing family life. I signed up to the course and each day, for a week, a new video landed in my inbox. All I needed to do was find a spare half hour to put the kettle on, listen and learn.

Visit www.makelight.com to find out more.
 

Family Photography: Modern Storytelling by Kirsten Lewis

Kirsten is a wonderful documentary photographer. In this course she shows how she produces special, unique, tender family moments.  Her course is amazing and has had a huge impact on me. Kirsten also runs through her whole editing process and her photography style has opened my eyes and given me a fresh perspective on my own work. Kirsten's class consists of 37 lessons, available to buy and download at www.creativelive.com.  
 

Can't Crop This Class from Studio DIY

I don't even remember how I found this class but I'm so pleased I did! Jeff and Kelly at Studio DIY run Can’t Crop This Class which is a series of downloadable videos. They teach you about building a profile on Instagram, branding, editing and composition. They make the class fun and their tips for using different editing apps on your phone has made a huge difference to my Instagram feed already.

Can’t Crop This Class is available at www.studiodiy.com

Find me on Instagram: katiecollinsphotography

And then there were two

Microwaving my first coffee of the day (yep, it's already gone cold), I hear tears. Our toddler has just tumbled head first over the footstool in our lounge. Cuddles and one Mini Milk later, she seems to be on the mend. Then our baby (four months old) starts to cry...

I'm loving my days with my two girls but my word, it's tiring! Breastfeeding alone is exhausting. Trying to feed whilst acting as a human climbing frame for our toddler (determind not to miss out on cuddles) is also a challenge. 

But I know these days will whizz by. I know I just need to relax, have fun and accept the lack of sleep won't be forever.

So I've made some decisions and parked the idea of bed and a lie-in for a little while...

For starters I've started to take a picture every day and uploading it to my Instagram. There are clever apps such as Artifact Uprising which let you turn your feed into coffee table books. Great gift ideas.

 

I'm also going to pick up my brilliant Kikki K 'Things My Kids Say' journal and jot down those hilarious 2 year old mutterings before I forget them; and my gorgeous  journal by The Green Gables for remembering our baby's milestones.

I'm going to factor in some 'me time' - have a massage, get my nails done, make a start on reading a good book. With a bottle of milk and an excellent daddy at hand,  I'll plot my short escape. 

Of course I'll drink a cup (or three) of good coffee to help me power through the day (preferably hot and not microwaved). I'll keep working on that one...

Weekly Reflections Journal (top left) from The Green Gables; Things My Kids Say by Kikki K; Inside Charlie's Chocolate Factory by Lucy Mangan from Amazon

Photo Box Project

Recently I have been dealing with an angry, frustrated toddler. Like a caffeine addicted commuter being denied their morning fix, she's not happy. 

The thing is, I know what will solve the problem in the short term - Peppa Pig.

After a recent 5am start and Peppa Pig on loop again while I prized my eyes open, in search of that first precious morning cup of tea, I realised the pink snorting pig needed to become a less frequent guest in our home.

It was time to close Netflix and launch into a new distraction for our buzzing, energetic toddler -  the Photo Box Project. 

Our daughter was recently asked to bring family photos into nursery. As I scrabbled together what I could find, I realised I'd become guilty of hoarding images online and rarely printing them.

So one afternoon, I collected together lots of family pictures and did a mass print of 50 plus images using a simple app on my phone.

I then spotted a cute mini suitcase online at Zara Home and dispatched my husband to Regent Street to pick up the goods.

Our daughter loves photos. She'll wander around at home clutching pictures of family tightly as if she has unearthed some special treasure.

As well as being a little memory and learning game, I hope the photo box will be a worthwhile distraction. The photos now live in her special case (which is covered in superheroes - daddy's choice). 

So far it's proved a hit. It's reminded me how important physical copies of photos are. We can add to the box all the time and if it means being Peppa free (even one less episode per day), I am a happy mummy!

 

Meeting baby Oscar

On a recent trip back to Guernsey (my childhood home) I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing Oscar. Barely two weeks old and snuggled in his parents arms, he seems to have settled in perfectly to his beautiful surroundings,  a lovingly restored cottage complete with exposed Guernsey granite and an open fireplace. 

It's a wonderful time of year to be welcoming a baby. Our daughter had just turned 12 weeks a year ago and as that big milestone was reached, the evenings became brighter, the sun became a more frequent visitor and suddenly those very long nights of continuous feeding became more bearable! Oscar is set to get a great introduction to Guernsey this Summer with beach trips, coastal walks and the fresh sea air to look forward to.

Top 10 tips for photographing your baby's first year

So much happens in your baby's first year and it's a hectic and incredible time. I'll be honest, a huge amount of the photos I have taken of our little girl have been on my phone as it's quick and convenient. However camera phones have limitations and it can be worth dusting off your compact camera and playing around with the settings to get more from your images. 

Here are ten tips for how I think you can get more out of photographing your baby's first year:

1. Birth

So it probably won't be at the top of your hospital bag list BUT whether it's your camera phone, a compact camera or DSLR, make sure you pack a camera in your hospital bag. Chances are you will be pretty busy with a new baby on your hands breastfeeding, sleeping and not knowing what day it is but there will probably be the odd moment where you will be wishing you had a camera to hand. I was in hospital four nights and there were times (bleary eyed) where I just couldn't resist taking a couple of pictures of our new baby snoozing away in the bassinet beside me.

2. Location, Location, Location

A photo shoot on a bed with natural light streaming through a window on the left

Think about the room which has the best light in your home. Think about what time of day it has the best light - a bedroom might be a good option. Clear some space, avoid a messy background and if needs be cover a sofa or bed with a cream or white (or plain) sheet. This creates a nice, clean, light backdrop for which to photograph your baby and your mini shoot can commence.

3. Ditch the flash

Flash can be really ugly. If you have a room with good natural light, you can avoid using flash and your pictures will look so much better. If you have a compact camera play around with the light sensitivity (ISO) and push it up to a higher level. If you have an iPhone, an app such as Camera+ will allow you to have control over your settings and change the ISO. This is something definitely worth experimenting with.

4. Detail shots

Close-ups of tiny hands and feet, eyes, nose, ears, and baby's first smile make great images. These are all pictures to treasure and worth having in the family album. Many cameraphones and compact cameras have a macro setting (usually a flower symbol) and this will allow for close-up shots. Be prepared to put in some time as you will need your baby to be very still but these are great shots to have.

5. Relationships

Family relationship shots are great to have in the family album

It's incredible watching a special relationship develop between your new baby and their father, mother, grandparents and siblings. It's even better when you can catch those special moments through images. It could be dad simply holding the baby or rocking him or her to sleep, bathing them or reading the baby a story. I'm always trying to capture those relationship shots.

6. Using the seasons

As your baby starts to move around and explore their surroundings, it can be a perfect opportunity to use the seasons in your photographs. A drab, grey miserable day can be brought to life with a pop of colour - it could be your baby wearing a bright coat or mum or dad carrying a colourful umbrella. Autumn provides a wealth of warm, golden colour and can be a great backdrop for photographs, as can Spring with blooming pink and white confetti-like cherry blossom.

7. Baby's firsts

Hard to resist those pictures of baby's first taste of food!

From their first taste of food to their first birthday - have your camera at the ready as there's bound to be some great moments. For our little girl's first birthday recently we bought balloons and bunting. Not only was she excited by them, they provided a dash of extra colour to the photographs.

8. Editing

Adobe Photoshop is the editing software of choice for many photographers who choose to pay monthly or annually to use it. If you fancy dabbling  to see what it's all about you can download a free month's trial through Adobe. There's also a fantastic free app for iPhone called Photoshop Express which allows you to do quickfire editing on the move. A great tool to have particularly if you use social media and fancy sprucing up your images before posting.

9. Printing

It's all too easy to take lots of pictures these days, upload them to a laptop or computer and forget about them. The best advice someone gave me recently was to print my pictures and keep them in a box  - old school maybe but really worth doing. Photo books are great value these days and the printing quality continues to improve. The Printspace, a London company are my go-to printers of choice for images. Beautiful, quality images,  available in a range of finishes and quick delivery.

10. Investing

Get professional images taken. I realised early on after our daughter was born that I wasn't going to be appearing in many of our pictures of her early years as I was the one behind the camera. We chose to have a photo shoot at home. We were exhausted, new parents but I am so glad we had those images taken as they are very special to us.

Happy New Year!

It's fair to say our daughter (despite being dressed as an Elf for most of the holiday) seemed to enjoy her first Christmas and New Year celebrations! She has decided to ring in 2015 by getting on the move and exploring her surroundings. Her first crawl took place in the first few days of January and now her daily challenge is to try to stand, propping herself up using anything in her path. The excitement of her achievements means she is too wired to sleep, so evenings are proving challenging as we attempt to encourage her to relax and calm down! Long gone are the days of drinking coffee with friends while the baby sleeps soundly - soft play here we come!