Parenting Sites 411

Our son is a driving force for a lot of what I do. When he was a baby I wanted to share his life with our family, but they are so spread out that I knew the internet would become an accomplice in our quest to keep everyone up to date.

I started the Daily Fuller Fix in order to let people, especially the grandparents, see Fuller everyday. Now, I will be the first to admit that I don’t always do the best at updating everyday, but I try. And we backdate liberally.

It seems pretty simple, one picture a day of my son. In response to that I have to say, “Thank goodness for digital.”

I will sometimes take 15 pictures of the same type of shot to get the right one. It used to be my camera (it had awful shutter lag) but now it is my very active subject. So I look to resources for inspiration, advice, tips, and suggestions on how to make our pictures the best that they can be.

Do you know what you are doing? Getting digital basics:
I like to read generally about digital photography and Photodoto is one of those sites that I eat up. It is the brainchild of John Watson, aka Flagrant Disregard. You might know him from FD’s flickr toys. The site is geared more toward those with the hefty DSLRs (which I do not have), but it is still a wealth of information that has helped me. The image editing and composition categories are what draw me into their site the most.

Another great site for absorbing from a master is Picture This. Tracey is a professional photographer who shares her tips, stories, and encourages participation (via flickr groups) so she can advise and comment on your own work. Her “My Best Shot Monday” series is something I love to participate in.

Getting the subject to cooperate:
Now, dealing with a very active 2 year old is quite the challenge, but I am up for it. Best Family Photography Tips has a great list of tips to help you get that picture of any child (toddler to teen).

Picture Correct has a good article on strategies for capturing that professional looking portrait of your child.

Checking the websites of camera manufacturers is a great way to find tips as well. Kodak has this post about photographing children, and the Nikonians have this post.

Over on Minti, the wealth of parent advice is their great resource and Tracey posted this amazing article on her tips for photographing your kids.

Trust yourself
I am sure that you have developed your own tricks and tips for getting that perfect shot of your kiddos. I have one: let them see themselves. Fuller always responds better when he can see himself in the LCD screen, which is why I love that I have an LCD screen that I can flip out and turn toward him. My other tip is to ditch the posed shots and capture the everyday moments, so you can really see what your child has been up to.

What is your tip for taking pictures of your children? Or do you have any favorite digital photography sites to share?

photography, digital photography, children photography tips, picture taking