It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas with all this snow and cold weather! If you’re feeling the festive spirit then you may be itching to get out your camera and get some snaps of your little ones enjoying the festive season. After all, it comes but once a year and if there’s a time when happy faces are pretty much guaranteed, it’s when the prospect of Santa and presents is on the horizon!
So here are my top tips as a South London family photographer for getting the best images this Yuletide.
1. Don’t wait until Christmas Day! There are oodles of opportunities to get some festive shots where the children are engrossed whether it be crafts, baking, making Christmas cards, dressing the tree.
2. Let it snow! Opportunities aplenty at the moment for cute images of making snowmen and having snowball fights all wrapped up in cosy knits and woollen mitts.
3. Christmas morning. Depending on how old your children are and whether they still believe in the big man, chances are you’ll be up in the early hours to see if he’s been. That means photographing them in near darkness and artificial lights. If you’re handy with a camera, expose for the ambient twinkling lights and faces and use a wide aperture and a fast shutter speed. Flash can kill the atmosphere in an image but add a touch if you’re feeling confident.
4. Present opening. There’s nothing better than the excited and joyful faces of children opening presents. Concentrate on capturing their expressions rather than the gifts themselves - a hint of wrapping paper is all you need to set the scene.
5. Playtime! Get down low to catch the children playing with their new toys. Preferably still in PJs for the true Christmas spirit!
This article first appeared on Ketchup & Cornflakes at rachelrimellphotography.co.uk