brothers {homemade portrait tips}

I love these two.  I love how Javi cracks up at the things Manny says.  

And I love how Manny knows he can make brother laugh.

I told them to be "super brothers"!

The idea came into my mind the day before yesterday. 

I wanted to photograph my boys, just the two of them.  

I just wasn't sure when.

Yesterday, I decided to seize the opportunity of a beautiful morning. 

As I was taking these pictures, it occurred to me that I may be able to pass on some helpful tips to anyone else who might like to take some "homemade portraits" of their children.

I wish I had not deleted the photos that I took at the beginning of this session.  Because if I were to show them to you, you would see fake, cheesy smiles.  You would see two little boys who don't quite know what to do with themselves while momma is pointing her big black camera at them.  We just had to get a little warmed up.  

Although I still do it sometimes...I am trying to break the habit of saying "Say cheese!"  Sometimes it works fine, but most of the time I get a "fake" smile.  So, how did I get those smiles?  I asked them questions and we chatted a bit...and before long, those genuine smiles emerged.

I still have a lot to learn and I am by no means a pro, but here is how I do "homemade portraits"...

>>The best time of day is an hour (or two) after the sun comes up or an hour before the sun goes down, often referred to as the "golden hour".  You don't want bright sun shining in their eyes so that they can barely look at the camera without squinting.  With the boys, in these photos, it was 9am and we picked a mostly shady spot in the front yard.  It's a good thing that these are the best times of the day to take photos because it's also the times of day that my children tend to be in their best moods!

>>Consider your background.  Take a test shot and see how things look.  Make sure it's a good spot before the kids are positioned.  One thing I recently learned is to be careful about putting my subject directly in front of a bush.  The branches can be a distraction in the photo and can look as if they are growing out of the person's head!  Not good.  I'm learning to avoid distracting elements as much as possible.

>>I sat them as close together as possible.  This is soooo important.

>>I ask them questions or prompt them to tell me about things.  This worked especially well with two of them because Javi kept laughing at the cute things Manny would say, which in turn would make Manny laugh too.  I said things like "Tell about your favorite ice cream" or "What are you going to do with daddy when he comes home?" or "Remember when...?"  You're looking for anything that will get them talking and thinking less about that camera.  Interact with them and keep it relaxed.  Sometimes I even position the camera in the spot I want it, hold it there and look out from behind the lens at them to react to what they are saying.  And all the while, I am pressing the shutter release.  With babies, you might discover a funny noise that makes them smile.  I won't even try to describe the one I make for Isabel, but for some reason she loves it!  And it grabs her attention.  She also loves it when I talk sweetly to her.

>>I take a ton of pictures.  This is the beauty of digital photography.  Take pictures from many different angles.  I am often amazed at how just a slightly different angle can dramatically improve the look of the photo.  Try many different angles.  Get down on the ground and get up close.  Try different things. You will be so glad you did.  Because just when you think you've got a pretty good photo, you get one that is even better!  You will end up deleting many photos, but at least you will have some gems!

>>If you're on a tight budget like me, download Picassa to edit your photos.  It's fun and it's free!

I hope you enjoy taking some "homemade portraits" of your own soon!