:: Photography Tips + Tricks : getting down and dirty ::

Good Tuesday morning! Not only is this my favorite time of the year, I am still riding on the high from this past weekend's Holiday Minis. It is always sooo nice to catch up with my photography family and play with the Little Ones -- some of whom I photographed for a third year in a row.

While furiously editing the mini sessions, I thought I'd take a break and share a simple tip with you that could help you take better photos of your Little Ones at home.

The most common mistake I see parents make is shooting from the perspective of an adult. Most parents shoot from the standing position down towards the level of the child. The result is a photo that is slightly distorted and probably not very well composed. Instead, try shooting at the level of the child; bend those rickety old knees (I have them as well), and lower your body and the camera to the eye-level of the child you are shooting. You will see that a seemingly mundane background all of a sudden becomes something bigger and more magical -- more like how your child sees the world around her/him. The background is now the supporting element that helps you tell a story.

Lower the camera to the eye level of your child so that you could tell the story from the child's point of view. 

There is one exception however. When you are taking a close-up shot of your child's face, it is ok to shoot from way above the child's level -- i.e. have the child sitting on the ground, looking up straight into the camera as you stand over his/her shoulder. This technique will allow you to fill the frame with his/her beautiful face without a lot of distracting background.

I hope you find this week's Tips + Tricks helpful. Check back next week for more Photography Tips + Tricks!