I recently introduced my new “Mommy take my picture” workshops where I’ll be teaming with moms to help them take better pictures of their kids with their DSLR cameras. If you’re interested in hosting a workshop, you can read all about the details here or email me at gina{at}piperandclaire{dot}com and we can talk about scheduling a time for you!

Today I want to talk about the number one mistake mom’s make when photographing their kids and offer some suggestions to help take more authentic photos of the moments you want to remember.

Too often, we don’t see the extraordinary in the ordinary. What do I mean by this? When you’re 80, do you want to look back on those perfectly posed photos with memories of bribing or even yelling at your kids to behave and smile and sit just so? Or the little things like how your child bites into a sweet apple, his concentration while he works on a puzzle, their goofy smile while being tickled?

To achieve this, think about staging photos in a different way by creating a situation and anticipating their action or expression. For example, ask them a question that you know will prompt a quizzical expression. Count down from 3 and anticipate their motion that you want to capture. Create a game and capture the fun.

In my workshop, we’ll talk more about ideas to capture these types of moments. I also have a free download for you with 75+ ideas for capturing those fleeting moments you want to remember that you can download here. I believe it’s important to be confident in your camera settings so you’re not fumbling with your camera while the moment passes you by. We’ll get you taking photos like a pro with your DSLR in my 3 hour workshop, “Mommy Take My Picture”. You can read more details here or email me at gina{at}piperandclaire.com with questions!