After a wonderful day at the park with your children, you stop at the local one hour photo processor to drop off your film. You choose to do one hour because you are so excited to see how your photos will turn out.

An hour later you return with excitement only to find that your children are so small in the image you can hardly make out their faces.

Here are some great tips for improving your family photos.

1. Get down to the childs level
   When you take a picture of your small child playing, kneel down to his/her eye level. Photos taken from above makes the viewer of the image look down on the child. This makes the child seem small, weak and insignificant.
2. Keep clothing simple
   If you are planning on bringing your camera with you on your family outing, dress your kids in simple clothes. Bold patterns and colors on a child will make the clothes be the center of attention, not the child. (However, if the flower covered dress is from grandma, this rule can and should be broken) Make sure the child is comfortable in his/her clothing. This will create a more relaxed photo. If the child is dressed in tight, non-fitting clothing, the child will be constantly pulling and re-adjusting his/her clothes. This will result in a stiff and unnatural picture.
3. Get in close
   Get in close to the child without them being aware by using your zoom or telephoto lens. I love candid close-ups of children. Capture the wonder on their faces as they explore the world around them.
4. Objects growing out of a child’s head
   Keep an eye on the background as well as the child before you snap the shutter. Objects behind or in front of the child such as trees, branches, light poles and fences, may look like they are growing out the child or cutting them in half. Reposition the camera and re-shoot.
5. Keep it fun!
   The best images of children are the candid shots. Give them an activity to do and hang low. A leaf, sand pile, bug, or flower can be a great distraction for an inquisitive child. Let them play with and investigate the object. Wonderful natural expressions will result.

Learn these 5 simple rules and you will create wonderful images of you’re children. To see some examples visit http://www.ajurden.com/child1.htm

A. Jurden is an award winning Northwest landscape and nature photographer. Visit her online at http://www.ajurden.com.

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