The heart of a great photograph – what really captures you – is a mixture of emotion, connection, story and authenticity.
Over the last few weeks we’ve talked about creating genuine moments of joy and interest with your kids as you capture them. We’ve also talked about some technical things, like lighting, camera angles and timing. This week, I want to touch on a topic that can add even more depth to your story and help you create more interesting images that draw you in and make you want to hang them up on the wall.
Drumroll please……
Let’s talk about artistic details!
These are the finishing touches that add the “wow” factor to your images. The little details that add to the story without distracting from the emotion. These details include things like your color palette, props, outfits, and/or a theme or consistent thread that ties the whole thing together.
After you learn how to pay attention to artistic details, I promise you’ll see a dramatic improvement in the photos you take of your cubs. This doesn’t have to be time consuming or overwhelming, but I know sometimes it can feel that way, so I’ve broken down some tips into bite-sized pieces.
Color
Try using pops of the same/similar colors throughout the image. Notice the green wall behind and the bright red desk in this photo of Judah painting. I didn’t have clothes that matched those exact colors, but we did have a pair of Christmas pajamas that I thought might tie in the red and green in the background.
Try centering your photo around one main color — this can be so fun to play with! As you can see, in this photo I focused on yellow, which nicely ties in his pants, the lemons, the warm wood tones and cream bowl/grains. It also enhances the other colors in the background, like the mint green pot and the rustic metallic of the teapot.
Props
I really love my images to have a timeless feel. In order to do this, I use toys and props that have a vintage feel. Wooden toys, old books, handmade things, quilts – all of these can be a great addition to your photo. I try to stay away from plastic, extremely colorful or cartoonish toys, as these can distract from your cutie pie subjects. I check Facebook Marketplace often to score old vintage toys for a great price!
Another idea is to include something they made, like a watercolor accompanied by messy, paint-covered fingers and a paintbrush.
Another thing that photographs well is baked goods, like cookies or pie! I recently made an apple pie with my boys. I let them peel and slice the apples and roll out the dough for crusts…they had a blast! In the end, we had a wonderful day together and something yummy to enjoy as a family.
Clothes
Deciding what my kids wear is one of my favorite parts to play with in images! I know everyone has their own favorite styles and looks, so I will just share a few of my favorite clothing tips to help your photos stay timeless.
Choose simple! Simple clothing items that aren’t cluttered with logos and graphics will be less distracting to the eye and help the focus be on your cubs. Most photos of my boys feature simple, inexpensive clothes that have soft, non-distracting colors. An easy way to bring some interest to the shot without adding graphics is to choose pieces with simple patterns or textures. Knit sweaters and linen dresses photograph AMAZING-ly!
Pay attention to colors. One of the easiest ways to level up your photo game is to coordinate the outfit colors with the surroundings. That could be your baby popping in a yellow raincoat against a big grey-blue puddle, or a green long sleeve that looks right at home in the middle of the forest. Add this to the list of reasons why thinking about your location ahead of time is a good idea!
If a new outfit is your entire inspiration for a photo, and it’s okay to let the outfit lead sometimes! This is a great place to start if you find yourself in a creative rut. I have an entire folder of images called “Judah’s New Outfit” filled with photos of him walking around the house because I just couldn’t handle the cuteness. Here is the link for this super cute and inexpensive outfit!
Theme
Not sure where to start on choosing colors, props and clothes? Start with a theme! Theme, as defined by Google, is “an implicit or recurrent idea,” and I think that’s a great way to think about this tip. It could be color recurring in the image in different ways or centered around a specific holiday. In this picture of Wilder, I went for a clear Western theme – papa’s cowboy hat, a book in the background called ”Revolver” a little red bandana around his neck and a tobacco pipe. Add in a dark leather couch, and the look is complete. The rice cake doesn’t exactly fit, but that’s how I got him to sit for a second to get this shot!
Your theme can literally be anything. If you’re feeling stuck, start here and all the pieces will fall into place.
If you’re a visual person like me, I highly recommend putting together a mood board for your shoot! Whether it’s on Pinterest or cutting photos out of a magazine, this is a great way to develop your color palette or theme.
If you need a little extra help with this, check out this free PDF worksheet.
