photography: unsolicited photo advice.

let me say first.

I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL.

i'm hardly worthy of even giving advice...

but i'm going to do it anyways.

i can't really tell you a bunch of stuff about lenses & f-stops & processing.
& i'm certainly not going to preach technical know-how to you.
'cause i honestly don't know much about all that...
but i am someone who has read a ton of books on how to take pictures.

and by that i mean how to get good pictures despite your surroundings.

that, and how to get good pictures of kids.

because let's face it..

we all can't afford studio lights & expensive backgrounds..

nor do we need them!  

i often get compliments on the pictures i take of my boys,

and i'm not lying when i say every compliment makes me feel wonderful.

(it never gets old for sure, i still am shocked people compliment me at all!)  

up until recently i only shot with a nikon d40 & the 18-55mm kit lens that came with it.

if you aren't in the photo world.. just know, it's a pretty bottom of the line camera.

nothing spectacular.

i always shot in automatic, so it was pretty much a no brainer.

i don't even know how to use photoshop, nor do i own it.

what i do know is a little about light,

 a lot about getting creative with my surroundings, 

and that a premium membership to picnik.com is totally worth the $30.   

so because it's no great secret & some one may benefit from it..

i'm going to share what i DO know.

this is my tiny not-very-well-manicured front porch.

(well, honestly i don't think you can even call it a porch, but whatever)

anyway, this is where i took the pictures of the babe in his bunny ears.

not so hot looking right?

empty water bottles waiting to be picked up.

the hub's work truck & neighbors cars in the background.

the mulch that washed out of the flower beds with all the rain we had that week.

and honestly, the chinese burgundy (which i only know the name of because of my mom) that was the background in those photos.. i hate too!

where am i going with this?

right here.

you never saw any of that.

because i put him up on that plastic table in his bumbo & got down on his level.

i got right up in his little face.

in my opinion, which may account for nothing..

the best thing you can do in capturing pictures of your kids is to get down at their level.

there is no way i would have gotten a picture of those two little teeth standing a foot away & up above him.

(& even at his level it wasn't easy!)

get close!

so, if you want to improve the pictures you take of your littles..

whether they be babies, kiddos, or furries..

get down on their level & get close.

i promise you won't be disappointed.

(i sure haven't been)

those two tidbits are probably the best photo tips i think i ever picked up. 

made a world of difference in my photos.

hope it helps someone out there too :)

xo-k