One of my "must dos" on every vacation to the beach is to get a steller family picture. With two toddlers, this is much easier said than done. While I'm no expert, I have learned a thing or two along the way just from experience. Here are my four little tips for a great DIY family photo with kids!
1 - Happy Kids: Start with kids that have napped and have full bellies. Nothing sabotages a shoot more than cranky kids!
2 - Consider your Background: No matter if your camera is on a tripod or in the hands of an untrained family member, pose yourselves in front of something that is pleasant to look at, that won't be a total distraction from the subjects. We chose the beach dunes which also made it obvious where we were.
3 - Watch your Shadows and Light: One of the hardest parts of getting great family shots at the beach is not having harsh shadows and squinting eyes. A good rule of thumb for soft light is to always take pictures around the time the sun has set - with enough light to illuminate, but none to cast shadows on the face. We adapted (sunset was dinner time) and used the time right after the sun set behind our building for a similar effect. No squinting and no shadows. Another option is to use a low flash to fill in the shadows and add catch lights to the eyes - but of course I'd left mine in the room and wasn't going back!
4 - Do Whatever it Takes for a Smile: In our case, this was spinning around for "ring around the rosie" and when we'd turn around the bend, Julie still full of glee, the picture would snap and there we'd be. Get creative with whatever makes your child smile!
Once we got the perfect shot, I was so excited to see what it looked like on canvas! We chose the 16" x 20" size and got to work at www.easycanvasprints.com ordering our portrait. I absolutely loved the ease of using the site - super easy to follow along and practically "goof-proof" for those who are technologically challenged. I loved that the site allowed me to adjust the photo's cropping to make sure it was centered and balanced. I appreciated the options for the canvas sides - black, white or a mirrored print of the image.
My canvas arrived expertly packaged and ready to hang. The image quality was great and it was so sturdy that I knew it'll last the test of time. Our canvas looks so professionally done that I was proud to hang it in our dining room!
I am so pleased with my experience with Easy Canvas Prints that I'll definitely be ordering from them in time for the holidays. What a great gift for family members! Canvas prints would also make great gifts for new parents, or newlyweds with shots of their baby or wedding.
Easy Canvas Prints has generously offered to give away a free 8x10 canvas print for one of our readers! Enter using the rafflecopter form below for your chance to win!
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Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Easy Canvas Prints. I did receive free product for my review, but all opinions remain my own.
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I would love to have a canvas print done of our family from a birthday party a few weeks ago!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you got to partner with them! I love my print...but I need a new photo and then print ;)
ReplyDeleteI would love to have the picture of my 4 year old with my newborn. Our oldest has autism and rarely will even look at my camera. I managed to get her laying next to her little sister looking right at me smiling!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to have a canvas print of my dog and teenage son taking a walk along a nature trail. Thanks.
ReplyDeletepartymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
I would love to have a family pic we took at the beach on ours :)
ReplyDeleteI cant believe I won! thank you thank you! :)
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