Your Child in Pictures: The Parents' Guide to Photographing Your Toddler and Child from Age One to Ten

by Me Ra Koh

Overview

Photography tips for moms and dads on how to take everyday portraits of children 
  
Celebrated photographer and best-selling author Me Ra Koh provides step-by-step instruction on photographing your family and taking pictures of your child. As a companion book to Your Baby in Pictures, Your Child in Pictures helps you learn to capture your child's special moments with 40 beautiful “photo recipes” that anyone can do, with any camera.

From first haircuts to first days of school, from snuggly teddy bears to favorite dress-up clothes, the toddler and childhood years are full of precious days that disappear all too soon. What parent doesn’t yearn to freeze the memory of their 2-year-old’s chubby cheeks, or their 6-year-old’s toothless grin?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823086184
Publisher:	Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale
Publication date:	10/01/2013
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Me Ra Koh loves cameras, kids, and parents, and spends her time bringing them together. Her work and photo recipes have been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Lifetime Television, Martha Stewart Living Radio, The New York Times, Parenting, and Babble.com. She was the regular guest photo expert on The Nate Berkus Show (NBC) for two years and currently hosts her own show, Capture Your Story with Me Ra Koh, on Disney Junior TV. You can find her at merakoh.com.

Read an Excerpt

Photo Recipe: Mommy and Me
 
Do you ever feel like you are “missing in action” when it comes to photos of your child? If so, you’re in good company. I meet countless moms who feel this way. They are often the ones taking the pictures, and as a result, there isn’t any evidence that they were even there! Hand this photo recipe over to Dad or a trusted friend. We are going to walk them through all the steps to not only getting you in the photo but helping you shine!
 
WHEN: Take this photo early in the day, after breakfast when the light outside is neutral to avoid harsh shadows from bright sun, or right before afternoon naptime when the child wants to snuggle with Mom.
 
PREP: Have Mom wear something she feels beautiful and comfortable in. Her level of comfort will show up in the photo much more than the pattern or design of her clothes. Ask Mom and child to sit down—either on the ground or in a chair, on a bench, etc.
 
FOR POINT & SHOOT USERS: Turn your flash off. Set your camera to Portrait mode. This will tell your camera to focus on the subjects and soften the background. If the little one is moving around a lot, set your camera to “Continuous Shooting” mode to freeze the action.
 
FOR DSLR USERS: Turn your flash off. Set your camera to “Continuous Shooting” mode. Choose Aperture Priority mode, and dial your f-stop down to ƒ/4.5. This wider-than-normal f-stop will help ensure both subjects are in focus while simultaneously creating a buttery, blurry background.
 
COMPOSE: I usually opt for a horizontal format for photos of moms because the wide frame gives a calmer feel than does a vertical format. The most flattering way to capture Mom is by shooting down on her. Most women also don’t want their whole body in the photo. It is often more appealing to frame Mom from the waste up; so get in close, and fill the frame with Mom and child. Close any gaps between their bodies by having them snuggle up to each other. The closer their physical bodies are, the more intimate the photo feels.
 
CAPTURE: Focus on either Mom’s eyes or the child’s eyes versus having both their faces in focus. This draws more attention to the photo’s story. Experiment with different viewpoints for Mom. Have her look at her son and smile so that you can capture a nice profile of her smile. Have both of them hold something, like a storybook, that they can look at together. Encourage Mom to keep talking with a smile and even give you a laugh here and there. She may feel awkward, but it will look genuine in the photo. (Tell her I said so if she doesn’t believe you!)

Table of Contents

Preface: My Story 8

Introduction: Capturing the Magic of Childhood 12
 
CHAPTER 1
GEARING UP 14
Choosing a Camera 17
Easy Camera Settings for Taking Better Photos 22
10 Ways to Maximize Your Smartphone Camera 24
5 “More” Tips for Finding Great Light 25
10 Quick Tips for Getting Great Shots 27
 
CHAPTER 2 
REFUSE TO SAY CHEESE®: capture the story 30
Refuse to Say Cheese 33
Capturing Conflict 34
Defining Details 37
Setting: Backgrounds with a Purpose 38

40 PHOTO RECIPES

CHAPTER 3
1–2 YEARS: Toddling into Independence 40
Five Tips for Photographing Your 1- to 2-Year-Old 43
1 First Steps 44
2 Bumps and Bruises 46
3 I Want to Be Like You 48
4 Objects of Affection (Part 1) 50
5 Oh So Dirty! 52
6 The Shy Phase 54
7 Your Little Chef 56
8 I Can Fly! A Portrait with Dad 58
9 Here’s My Belly Button 60
10 Family Portrait (Part 1) 62

CHAPTER 4
3–4 YEARS: When Wonder Comes Before Reality 64
Five Tips for Photographing Your 3- to 4-Year-Old 67
11 My Own Style 68
12 Mommy and Me 70
13 Potty Training 72
14 DIY Haircuts 74
15 Best Friends 76
16 I Love to Dance! 78
17 Tea Parties 80
18 Objects of Affection: Part 2 82
19 My Favorite Costume 84
20 Family Portrait (Part 2 )86
 
CHAPTER 5
5–7 YEARS: Leaving the Circle of Your Arms 88
Five Tips for Photographing Your 5- to 7-Year-Old 91
21 First Day of School 92
22 The Light in Your Child’s Eyes 94
23 Playground Antics 96
24 The Evolution of Your Child’s Shoes 98
25 Young Artist 100
26 Blanket Forts 102
27 Taking Off the Training Wheels 104
28 Favorite Toys 106
29 Bye-Bye, Baby Tooth 108
30 Pretend Play 110
 
CHAPTER 6
8–10 Years: Giving Your Child Voice 112
Five Tips for Photographing Your 8- to 10-Year-Old 115
31 Your Child’s Heritage: A Portrait with Grandpa or Grandma 116
32 Your Budding Musician 118
33 Little Critters 120
34 Bookworm 122
35 Objects of Affection: Part 3 124
36 Me and My BFFs 126
37 Play Ball! 128
38 Tales from Underwater 130
39 Birthday Candles 132
40 Where Do I Fit In? 134
 
Appendix: Tips for Photographing Your Special Needs Child 136

Last Words: The Power of Photography 142

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Your Baby in Pictures

“Babies don’t take direction very well (if they did we should start by getting them to shush on airplanes), but Me Ra Koh has made a specialty of coaxing warm, memorable photos from infants, newborns and children.”
—The New York Times
 
“Tell your baby’s story in photos—wonderful, beautifully-shot photos. Professional photographer and mom, Me Ra Koh, shows you how to photograph your baby like a pro.”
—Disney Baby
 
“Aside from the gorgeous photos, you'll appreciate Me Ra Koh’s simple, smart advice that gives you everything from how to pose your wee ones to the best time of day and light for both a SLR camera as well as a point and shoot, all based on the age of your kids. . . . I really can't think of a more helpful shower gift for new parents, whether it’s their first or fourth baby.”
—Coolmompicks.com
 
“Provides great step-by-step photo ideas and suggestions to help you document all the developmental milestones of your baby's first year.”
—Mom365.com
 
“This book is perfect for novice and intermediate photographers looking for expert advice and inspiration. . . . Beautiful photography, easy-to-follow language and no-fail photo how-tos make Your Baby in Pictures a must for new parents, grandparents and others looking to capture that precious first year of life like a pro.”
—Inside Edge magazine

From the Publisher