If you're like me and not comfortable in front of the camera but want pictures of yourself with your kids then read on. Taking self portraits of yourself feels weird and in my case, people always tell me, "it gets easier." They're right, it does get easier. Easier to move around...but it still feels weird so I push through it, maybe someday it'll feel natural.
The thing is though, as moms, we don't really have someone taking photos of us. Which feels comfortable until months or years pass and we realize our kids don't have hardly anything of us together. So regret sets in and we can't really change that but we can start where we are now. In this blog post, I don't plan on getting into specifics or camera settings. I'd rather focus on easy things that anyone can do just to get started.
Tip 1: Camera set up
I do suggest a camera and tripod but if you don't have a tripod then you can prop your camera up on a table or anything else stable. Most suggest using a remote trigger, which you can, but I found with mine that you have to get it at the correct angle to work and that's just too much for me with everyday photos. I prefer using the timer and continuous shot right from my camera body, you can google on how to set this up for your specific camera. Alternatively, you can also give someone the camera and tell them to just keep clicking. You'll end up with a lot of photos and they won't all be perfect but they don't have to be.
Tip 2: The plan
However you prefer to do it, just make sure you have a plan in mind. I've said this in previous posts so it may seem repeated for some of you but I feel it still hold true. Think on what you like to do together or what you can learn together. Make sure you prep for any items you need so you just need to focus on the activity. You know your family better than I do but I have some suggestions to inspire off of for multiple ages-
* baking cookies
*playing video games
*carving pumpkins or setting up the christmas tree
*reading to the kids
*homework help
*rocking your baby or toddler
*feeding your baby or toddler
*gardening
*playing at the park or your yard
*coloring or painting
Tip 3: Limbs and eyes
So you've set up and planned but what do you do now that you're in front of the camera? Ignore it. You have your activity planned so engage with your kids as you're acting it out. You can tell a joke as you're working to make them smile, give an occasional tickle, etc for a little extra. If your camera is on continuous shot as mine usually is, then occasionally look at it if you want. Just experiment.
Regardless of how you go about this, my number one tip is to just start...and then do it again, and again, and again... We all have busy lives, insecurities, feel tired, have messy houses, etc but right now is the youngest your children will ever be again. Capture you together, your future self will thank you.