MORE BBQ KID’S PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

Last year’s article on Photographing Kids at Your BBQ offered some great tips on getting great photos of your kids, but we’re sure there’s more to learn when it comes to combining good friends, good food, and cute kids. So here we go:

Chalk Art

Give your kids a bucket of chalk and have them create a pastel wonderland on your driveway (or road, if there’s no traffic). Have them lay down “in” their art, grab a stepladder and shoot from above to let them see themselves as part of their own imagination.

Not sure how to get them started? This blog post has some amazing ideas!

Lemonade Stand

Help your kids keep busy when you’re entertaining by letting them setup a lemonade stand – all you need is a table (or cardboard box) and some lemonade! Let the kids decorate their stand with paint, which will give you the chance to take some cute pictures. Don’t forget to grab some quarters so you and your guests can enjoy their hard work!

Super Messy = Fun Times

For younger kids, a BBQ is a great time to really get in and enjoy their food. Having a camera handy can give you the opportunity to get some fun and candid photos of your kids getting their gourmet on. Ketchup and mustard are definite favourites, but feel free to throw in some cupcakes, strawberries, ice cream, or other messy items to help them out. Or, if you’re really feeling adventurous you can let them get YOU messy!

Movie Time?

For kids who like to stay up late on those rare occasions, you can get valuable “grown-up” time (and some cute photos) by setting up an outdoor movie. All you need is a sheet that you can stretch out relatively flat (hang against a wall or between some trees), a projector (rented or borrowed), DVD player or computer, and some sound. Pop a few bowls of popcorn and let the kids settle in on some blankets and pillows. If you know the movie you can lie in wait just to the side of the screen to capture their faces as they react to the funny/scary parts and then go enjoy some time with your friends and family while they do the same.

Obstacle Course

This activity is fun and can involve the whole family. Have each person design an obstacle course using things around your home (old tires, sawhorses, ropes, hula hoops, etc.) – get a few friends involved too. You can set up a tournament-style race, or just do it for fun. Make sure you have at least one water-based obstacle, and then (after your turn, of course,) you can have fun snapping your kids and guests as they take on the challenge!

Need a few tips on creating great obstacles? Check out this post from HowStuffWorks.

That’s it for now – if you have any other great ideas for photographing kids at a BBQ, please share!