8 tips for better iPhone pictures of your kids

So recently I have been using my iPhone a lot for picture taking.  I mean, I LOVE my DSLR and I still pull that out quite frequently, but there's no doubt about the iPhone being easier to hold, easier to pack around, and way less stressful. 

And I recently discoveredChatbooks.  Oh my gosh I am in love with them.  They are the cutest little books ever.  Go check out their website if you've never heard of them, and if you are an Instagram-er, you will be in love, too.  I've been using Instagram a lot more lately because of Chatbooks.  It's the perfect opportunity to document every day life with a picture book that you don't even have to put together.

So that being said, since I'm taking more pictures with my iPhone to put on Instagram, I've been working harder to take BETTER pictures with my iPhone.  And here are some things I've been trying to do.

1.  Make sure the camera lens isn't covered by protective plastic.  This might not apply to every one but it was HUGE for me.  I have small children who are always trying to steal my phone, and also I drop things.  Like a lot.  So I've been using a Lifeproof case for my phone.  I figured that would be the safest bet.  My phone can now be dropped and submersed in water and still stay alive.  Woohoo!

However, my pictures were awful.   They always looked smeary and smudgy and no matter how many times I tried to clean off the part of the case over the camera lens, the pictures still looked like they were being taken through a window (you know how you take a picture through a window and it doesn't look good?)  Anyway, I was fiddling around with the case and discovered I could pop the little piece of plastic that was over the camera lens part right out.  So I did.

And the result was MAGIC.  My pictures are so much more clear.  Granted, my phone is no longer water proof, but I'm too skeptical to actually think it really would be water proof anyway.   

2.  Hold the phone steady.  I've found that holding the phone steady is something that I have to consciously think about before each picture.  I say to myself, "Steady, steady, " and I do a much better job of not shaking or jerking or moving.  And with a phone camera, it seems like the slightest shake from you causes blur.  So try that.  THINK about holding the camera steady and you'll do a much better job of it.  It would also be nice if your subjects would stay steady, but with kids we know that's hit or miss.  Sometimes I'll yell "FREEZE" really loud before I snap a picture of my kids and they're so thrown off by the randomness of that that they actually do freeze.  Muahaha. 

(with this picture I distinctly remember telling myself to stop shaking like an old lady before I took it)

3.  Look for the light. Just like with any camera, this is a big deal.  Unlike with a fancier camera, you can't really adjust the setting of your camera phone to let in more light.  So you have to find the light yourself. If you're in your house, there are most likely window in all the rooms.  Before you take a picture, open up all the blinds.  Then, position yourself so that you're taking a picture of the kids with the light behind you (but don't block the light).  This way, the light from the window will be shining ON the kids.  Or have the light hitting them from the side.  The more light there is, the better your picture will be. Use the light to your advantage.  And try to use window light when you're inside as much as you can instead of over head light.  Be creative.  I used the soft glow of an iPad to illuminate this pumpkin that Little Miss has decided she loves and has to sleep with. 

(before I took this I opened the window blinds so the light would be brighter in the room.  It's coming at them from the side.  Also I hate the coloring of our living room so I changed it to black and white.  I like that better, and the picture is aimed to please me, so black and white it is)

When you're outside, try to avoid the harsh glare of the sun.  Have the sun behind you, the picture taker, instead of behind the kids.  But again, sometimes the harsh light can be turned into dramatic lighting with editing apps.  

(with this picture the light was behind me)

(this is Little Miss sitting in the same spot, but me on the other side.  In the original picture she was so shadowy.  Soooo, I just changed it to black and white and increased the highlights and shadows to get this dramatic light pic)

4. Capture the little things. Most of us take pictures to remember the moments of every day life.  What types of things do you want to remember?  Think about that when you're reaching for your iPhone.  

5. Use unique perspectives.  Get on your knees, get above, get below, switch things up.  It takes practice to remember to do this.  But your pictures will be so much more interesting if you do it.   Nothing is quite as boring as a picture snapped of your kids while they're standing looking up at you. 

(Nothing quite like little feet and hands looking for shells)

6.  Use the focusing ability of the phone.  With the iPhone, you can tap the part of the screen you want to focus on.  And if you tap and hold down, the focus will lock until you tap it again.  I usually end up tapping the focus several different times before I tap the shutter button, but I'm getting better at being really quick with tapping for focus and then tapping the shutter.  Practice practice, I tell ya. 

7. Take advantage of editing apps. I edit EVERY picture I take.  Because why not?  I don't feel like a faker.  Editing is an art itself and I LOVE it.  It can make a great picture AWESOME.  Don't be afraid to edit.  My favorite iPhone app for editing my pictures isPicTapGo.   I think it's costs like two dollars or something?  But it's so worth it.  It has so many filters and the ability to adjust the strength of each filter, plus apply more than one filter.  Filter strength almost always needs to be adjusted, especially if you like the more natural look. 

(this looks pretty natural.  But I used like three filters.  It's so fun.  To me.  I can do it for HOURS.)

(and this photo--obviously edited.  But I LOVE it.  One of my favorites from our beach trip.  Remember, these photos that you're taking are for YOU.  So if you love them, who cares what anybody else thinks)

AND you can upload to Instagram straight from the PicTapGo app.  You can also choose Instagram Full, so that you don't have to crop your picture to a square. 

(the overall look of this picture is so much better as a 4x6 rather than a square.  PicTapGo has a lot of crop options.  And actually the crop option I used is 2x3 which is the same as 4x6)

8.  Understand Instagram.  Did you know that you can do more than just pick a filter with Instagram?  You can adjust the highlights, the shadows, the constrast, the warmth. . . it's come a long way.  I explained how to make black and white photos pop on PicMonkey(click here for that post) and you can do the same thing in Instagram with black and white photos.