Ready. Set. Capture! - Photographing kids at play.

While it's nice having photos of your kids and family in formal environments, it really is great to have photos of their everyday play that isn't just on a phone too.  Let's face it, by the time they're grown the technology that will house their childhood photos will probably be obsolete or so degraded the photos could be lost forever.

I've made a few tips for taking photos of their play time, hopefully you can get some photos of them that you feel are worthy of being printed and saved.

1- Find a good spot!  Shade is great, or if it's an overcast day anywhere is good.  I like to position the sun behind the kids, so that it's not in their eyes making them squint and it allows for some magical lighting.

2- Time of day is important, I like to shoot early in the morning or later in the afternoon, not only because the light it better but also because the light feels cleaner.

3- Have someone else there with you to help wrangle the kids.  It's hard getting good photos if you're also spending the time assessing what the kids are doing and keeping them in line.  You get the best photos when you're not worried about their safety.

4- Details.  Take photos of what your kids are working on.  Supplies, paper, hands, feet, what they're doing.  Get it all!  These make for great reminders and if you want to make a collage they help break it up. 

5- Let them get messy!  The best photos are when kids are just being kids.  Getting into things, exploring, and getting messy.  It's nothing a little soap and water can't help.  And if you're worried about clothes, let them play in a diaper or underwear!  These photos don't have to go on the internet for the world to see, but they're for your kids as they get older to remember their childhood by.

Have fun and plan some messy activities for your kids!