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Family Photos

5 Tips for Capturing Backyard Fun

Summer is backyard gathering season. Are you ready to capture those memories?

Whether you are hosting or enjoying someone else’s backyard, you will want to remember this time. Photos help us to remember, not only events, but the emotions that go along with the gathering. I am not a photographer (but we will be talking with one soon, look for that interview early next month), but here are 5 tips I have learned.

Tip #1

The best camera to use is the one in your hand. So many of us keep our smart phone with us at all times, so use it to document the moment.

I don’t recommend this lightly. I am a firm believer that when we are gathering together, phones should be put away so everyone can stay present in the moment. Being present while gathering is all about making connections and forging bonds in relationships. That can’t happen when even one person at a family gathering has their nose in their phone.

That said, even simple gatherings or a day of fun in the yard is worth documenting.

Tip 2

Mix up candid and posed photos. If every photo is posed then they don’t tell the whole story of the event. You want your photo gallery to be rich in diversity. Take some posed, but get creative and take some less expected photos.

Candid photos take some practice. Getting someone in the air as they jump into the pool can be difficult, but so worth it. Keep clicking and you will get some good ones. That’s the genius of digital, it’s easy to delete the bad photos.

Tip 3

The photographer doesn’t need to be an adult. It can be fun to see what the kids focus on when they get to take photos. Let everyone have a turn at taking a few photos. This, again, will increase the diversity of your photo gallery.

Tip 4

You don’t need a big event to grab the camera. It can just be a day with you and the kids in the backyard playing, maybe swimming in the pool.

I know I love the photos I have of my own children when it was just the 3 of us playing in the pool. They were such hams, jumping in the pool over and over. It gave me plenty of time to practice my skill of capturing them in mid-air. Those photos are just as precious to me as the professional shots of the 4 of us posing for the camera.

Tip 5

Those photos you just took are great, but will be better categorized and put in an album. It can be either a physical album or digital. But doing it as soon as possible after your take the photos is best.

You will want to note the people in the photos, in case there is some extended family or friends. Doing it 20 years later makes it tough to remember every name with every face.

You can share albums and use them to look back on past traditions. I love looking at photos of my grandparents, long gone, but so happy at family gatherings.

I hope these tips help you enjoy your backyard fun, over and over again.

Christmas Photos

Every year we take a family photo to use on our Christmas card. I love this tradition. This photo was from a few years ago. We took it over Thanksgiving weekend when my son and daughter-in-law were in town. We went to one of the Mountain Preserve trail heads here in Phoenix, AZ. We put the camera on a tripod and used the timer option on the camera. It took several attempts, but we didn’t mind. We had fun making this memory.

Some years we have had to take separate photos, some years we used photos taken over the summer. When you live in different states, taking a family photo can be difficult and you have to plan ahead or get creative to make the Christmas card photo a possibility.

This year, with the need to social distance, a family photo can be difficult. Going to a location might not be an option. Your favorite photographer might not be available. Here are a few tips to help you get a good shot right in your backyard.

Start by finding a great back drop.

Backdrop

This bush, in my backyard, would be a great option for a backdrop. The green and yellow adds nice color. The leaves add texture.

Next you just need to choose colors for everyone to wear that compliment each other and don’t compete for attention from the card recipient. Don’t over think this. Since my family is all adults, I usually tell them 2 colors to work within. I have even said, “dark jeans, a top/shirt you feel fabulous in” because when you feel good, you look good. That is the idea that drove the first photo from this post. Sometimes just have a good, simple idea helps a photo along!

Next you may think, how am I going to take the photo? Always remember that the best camera you have is the one in your hand ~ do you have a smart phone? Then use that camera. Have a DSLR? Then use that camera.

Tripod with Smart Phone

Here you can see, I put my smart phone in the holder of my ring light. Not only will it hold the phone at the right height, it’s adjustable, but you can use the light too! The ring light works better than a flash to enhance the lighting, even outdoors.

Next, use the self-timer on your phone and take as many photos as needed to get a good one. Don’t be afraid of showing some personality. Two things to keep in mind ~ kids are only little once and their is no such thing as perfect.

Note *I am not a professional photographer, I am only encouraging you to take that family holiday photo for your own memories. You can share on social media or a holiday card, that is up to you. But I will say that since my children are all grown up, you can never have too many photos of your family when they are small!

Don’t know how to use the timer on your phone or camera, you can find those answers on the internet. With so many different phone/camera types there is no way to address that here.

So, grab a camera. Find a cute backdrop in your backyard. Through on something that makes you feel great. Get to taking a holiday photo. You will be glad you did! Tradition doesn’t have to disappear with a pandemic! You just have to be creative.