Attending kids' parties is a common reason to dig the digital camera out of the drawer and to start shooting photographs. It's a great opportunity to shoot some photos that will provide memories to last a lifetime. Use these tips to make sure that those memories won't be clouded by poor photographic results.
- Start by shooting photos as the guests arrive. Especially with children, that first greeting between friends can yield some fun emotions.
- Make sure to shoot a group photo, which can be a challenge with kids running everywhere. Try to find a time in the party where everyone will naturally gather around. If it's a birthday party, your best chance will probably be when you serve the cake, for example.
- When shooting the group photo, it usually works best to have about half the kids sitting and half standing behind them, so you can see everyone. If you're having trouble making them settle down for a photo, try a compromise: Allow them to shoot one silly photo with silly gestures, in exchange for one "well behaved" photo.
- When shooting photos of children at a party, be sure you can see everyone's faces. This especially can be tricky when you're shooting a group photo around the table at a birthday party, where the cake, candles, balloons, and gifts can obscure the faces in the photo.
- Another key to shooting photos of children is to move the camera to their level whenever possible. Crouch or kneel to shoot your photos, so that the camera lens is close to eye level with the children, and you'll end up with better looking photos.
- If you're using a point and shoot camera for the party, consider using scene modes to shoot the photos and let the camera determine the best exposures. You then can concentrate on composing the photos.
- Resist the urge to "stage" every photo. Instead, shoot a mixture of staged and spontaneous photos at a children's party. Spontaneous photos might not turn out perfectly every time, but they can provide some unique images. If you're having trouble shooting spontaneous photos, because the children are noticing your camera and are being shy or are showing off for the camera, move back to a location where it's tougher to see you, and use your camera's zoom lens to shoot close-up photos.
- Finally, make use of your camera's video features and shoot some short movies. These can be great for capturing the emotion of that special gift or when that surprising friend appears at the party.
