As mothers, we all want to have beautiful photos of our children that we can share with family and friends, display in our homes and keep as treasured memories for years to come. In the age of digital photography, it has become easier to take photos; whether you have a DSLR camera, a point-and-shoot, or a cell phone camera. There are some simple ways that you can learn to improve your photographs of your children. By following these simple steps, you can create your own portrait-worthy prints of your kids, all by yourself!

Location
Grab your camera, your kids, and drive to a local park or historic landmark in your area. By changing your location and getting outside, you will be able to capture your children having fun in a new place, playing on the playground, or finding a unique and interesting backdrop for your photos.

Natural light
Whenever possible, place your child in natural light when taking his or her photo. Either go outside or open up the shades in your home to let in the light. Avoid using flash whenever possible, as this creates a harsh light on your subject. The best time to take natural-light photos is in the early morning hours or about an hour before sunset.

Perspective
Change up the vantage point from which you are taking your photo. When photographing children, it is important to get down on their level. Also, try looking down on your child from above and have your child look up at you. This will also work the other way around. If your child is playing on the playground or crossing the monkey bars, take a few shots from down below and see what you get. By changing your perspective, you will be sure to capture photographs with more interest!

Use your favorite items
Have a quilt that great-grandma made? Use that in your photos. Spread it out under a tree and have the kids sit on it and snap away! Take photos of your little one with their favorite lovey or blanket. These are the moments you will want to remember.

Choose simple backgrounds
Avoid distracting, cluttered backgrounds. Find an interesting wall made of brick or stone. This will take the focus off of your surroundings and put the focus on your beautiful child!

Find beauty in everyday life
Messy play rooms, chubby legs, first foods. The best photos are those that highlight moments from real life.

Composition
Composition is simply how you place subjects in your photo to create a pleasing arrangement. There are many different composition styles in photography; however, the rule of thirds is a fun way to create a lot of impact with your photos. Imagine your photograph is divided into nine equal sections by two horizontal lines and two vertical lines, thus creating a grid on top of your photograph. Placing a point of interest on one of the intersections, such as your child’s face or even an eye, gives the photo more balance and is more pleasing to the viewer.

Edit your photos
There are many free online photo editing websites where you can upload and edit your photos. Crop them, change them to black and white or sepia, or enhance the colors in your photo. Some online tools can be found at PhotoShop.com and ipiccy.com.

Capture natural emotion
Whatever you do, don’t have your child say cheese! You want to try to capture the natural emotions of your child. Get them to say something silly like “bananas” or quack like a duck. They will think this is funny and their little faces will light up! Reverse psychology works in this instance as well. Tell them, “Don’t smile!” and they won’t be able to help themselves!

Have fun!
If your child is cranky and not having a good time, it may be best to put your camera away for a while until he or she is in a better mood. You will only get frustrated, and your child will grow uncooperative. Try again another day!


BEST ENTRY LEVEL DSLR'S

CANON EOS
REBEL T2I DSLR
Offers nice versatility for an entry-level DSLR model, making it one of the best beginner DSLRs. It can shoot at 18 megapixels of resolution with still photos and at full 1080p with HD video.

NIKON
D3100 DSLR
For those seeking a good transitional camera as they advance from a point and shoot camera to a more advanced model, such as a DSLR, Nikon is now offering the D3100 DSLR model.

NIKON
D5100 DSLR
Replacing the D5000, the D5100 sits neatly in between the entry-level D3100 and the highend D7000. The camera is clearly aimed at attracting enthusiasts who have outgrown their basic entry-level DSLRs.

SONY
ALPHA SLTA55V DSLR
The A55V can shoot at 16.2 megapixels with a large CMOS image sensor, which results in great image quality. The A55V's 3.0- inch LCD can also tilt away from the camera, which comes in handy.

---

BRIANNA HEDDEN
Brianna Hedden is a stay-at-home mom to her two daughters. She loves spending time with her family, taking her daughters on fun adventures, and is a self-diagnosed shopaholic. She is also an aspiring professional photographer and loves capturing special moments for family and friends. To see her work visit her website at indeliblemomentsphotography.blogspot.com or like her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/#!/indeliblemoments.