BY MADI CAVELL

Betty Udesen is the photographer who captured the wonderful moments in Zero to Five: 70 Essential Tips Based on Science. An award-winning photojournalist, Betty worked at The Seattle Times (where she and Tracy first collaborated) and has captured images across the world. Here are some of Betty’s essential tips for photographing children.

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1. For candid pictures: Wait until your child’s attention is strongly focused on something or someone else.

If you’re playing with your kids, and then all of a sudden you stop what you’re doing, pull out your phone, and stand up, your kids will be distracted from whatever cute thing you were trying to capture. Wait until they are completely engrossed with whatever they’re doing before grabbing the camera and trying to take a picture.

You can also minimize the distraction by holding the camera a bit to the side so that you’re still interacting with your child face-to-face. If you have an iPhone, you could try COVR, which lets you hold the camera flat in your palm while taking a photo.

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2. For posed pictures: Get your child involved in the making of the picture.

When you’re trying to take posed pictures with your kids, make it fun. Try to be interacting with them at eye-level, rather than standing above them, and work on ensuring that they’re genuinely happy.

Maybe it’s as simple as telling corny jokes when your family is posing for pictures. The jokes may be lame, but your kids’ smiles will be real.

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3. Take pictures at child-level.

Rather than standing above your kids to take pictures, try coming down to their level. It will give your photos a refreshing new perspective.

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4. Notice the lighting.

Quality of light is the key to a quality photo. Notice where the light is coming from and what it paints for you in the picture. Is there a highlight in your child’s eyes? If you are indoors, consider turning off the lights on a sunny day and using just the windows as your light source.

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5. Give your child some space.

Not only does backing off a little bit help your kids relax, but you also get to capture how they are interacting with the surrounding environment.

6. Be quick.

With a cell phone camera, do you often miss the shot because there’s too much time between pressing the camera button and capturing the photo? Try taking several shots in a row to increase your chances of catching a good moment. Better, research apps for your cell phone that eliminate lag-time altogether. Betty uses 645 Pro for her iPhone 6.

Written by

Tracy Cutchlow

Tracy is the author of the international bestseller Zero to Five: 70 Essential Parenting Tips Based on Science, a public speaker, and a creator of places to speak and be heard. Sign up for her newsletter here.