Hey mamas (and non-mamas)!

On Instagram recently I’ve been sharing small tips for taking better pics of your people, and I was so excited to hear that they’ve been helpful for many of you and that you’ve been trying them out! Seeing your “new and improved” pictures has been so cool. I thought I'd compile those tips each month into a little series here on my blog where they can live long and prosper so that you can refer to them any time. My hope is that these are helpful and inspire you to capture even more moments in this crazy, chaotic and often hilarious stage of life.

So without further adieu, this month’s quick tips:

1. —> check your background <—⠀

It's not always the easiest to do for pictures on the fly, but when you have the chance, pay attention to your background. My best piece of advice: SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY. ⠀

If you can't physically move the action to somewhere with a better background without missing the moment (i.e. it's small kids and we all know they won't "do it again"), then move YOURSELF.

Try taking a few steps to the right or left, or moving to the other side of them and taking the picture from another angle. More than likely there will be one way to view the same scene that gives you a much more simple, clean background. ⠀

Simple backgrounds make the people in your photos POP. And that my friend, is where the magic’s at.

2. —> capture the details <—⠀

It's so tempting to focus on your babe's face, but think about ALL of the other little details that you love about them. Do you love their messy bedhead? Their stylin' baby mullet? Tiny fuzzy ears? Long dark eyelashes? Special birthmark? Sweet little fingers? Feet just like Dad's? ⠀

Write down a list of those little details you love. CONGRATS! You've just created your first photography shot list. ⠀
Now, get to work taking close-in photos of each detail on your list so you never forget them. ⠀

Try out interesting angles -- lay down low at eye level, try straight from above -- and don't be afraid to get in really close! Try placing them on a simple rug/blanket near a window to make that detail really pop. ⠀
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Those early days go quick, it's SO worth taking the time to do this with your little ones! With 5 minutes of planning you can get this done in only 15 minutes one afternoon