NEW YEAR’S EVE KID’S PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

Whether you are spending New Year’s Eve at home with the family, or are heading out for a night on the town, you will undoubtedly encounter some great opportunities for fun photos; of your friends, your surroundings, and the events that occur during one of the most festive and fun nights of the year. So why not capture better photos this year, so you have something to remember your night by? With that in mind, here are some tips for capturing great New Year’s Eve kid’s photos:

Tip One: Photograph Family Time

For at-home New Year’s celebrations, take photos of your kids being involved in something they enjoy. This could be making snacks or playing a board game. Grab a few festive props for the occasion from your local dollar store so when you look back later you’ll know exactly when the photos were taken – such as a HAPPY 2015 hat, balloons, or party favors.

Tip Two: Learn How to Photograph Fireworks

If you are viewing fireworks this year, take your camera and a tripod. Find a location where you can have something else in the frame – such as a building. This provides some perspective so you can see just how fantastic the scene is. If the fireworks are over calm water, that’s even better! Steady the camera on your tripod and choose a longer exposure – such as 1/5s to 2s. You may have to manually focus before it begins, so your camera doesn’t get confused with all the shifting focus points or bouts of darkness. Have fun with it – you’ll likely end up with some amazing photos that you’ll be proud to display.

Learn more about Photographing Fireworks

Extra Tip: If you can, get a photo with your kids in the frame. Have them stand in front of you, facing the show (preferably on something, so they are a bit higher). Take a few paces back and get down low, so you can capture their silhouette against the lights.

Tip Three: Learn How to Use a Synced Flash

Synched flash can help you freeze the action by firing off at the beginning or end of a longer exposure. If you are in a darker environment with a lot of movement, this may be the thing to try. Test it out first though – here is a good tutorial to get you started.

Tip Four: Get in the Picture

It’s your party too, so don’t forget to get in on the action and have your picture taken too! This may mean handing off the camera to another person or using a stable surface and a timer.  At home with kids you can always give them a Smartphone or iPod camera to play with, they may surprise you with some great photos!

Tip Five: Make Photography New Year’s Resolutions

Now that 2017 is nearly here (thank goodness), it’s time to think about your resolutions. Is one of them to become a better kid’s photographer? You might want to think about how you’re going to make it happen, whether with books, blogs, a course, or even finding good YouTube videos to walk you through the process. Of course, stay tuned here for some great tips too!

Here at Jane Goodrich Photography, we sincerely thank you for your patronage and can’t wait to bring you more photography tips, tutorials, and other fun blog posts in the new year! Feel free to leave a comment if you’d like to see something in particular or have a question about any aspect of family photography.