Here a a few tips from Mum the Photographer on how to take beautiful birthday photos.

Birthdays are such a special time to look back on, and they’re a great opportunity to see exactly how your child has changed and grown over a year. But they are such a busy occasion that it’s very easy to not get the opportunity to capture the day if you don’t give it some thought before the madness starts. We’ve listed a few tips below but our best suggestion is to ask a friend or family member to help you record the event. As parent’s we are pulled in so many directions on a birthday being the caterer, entertainer, host etc that it is so easy to miss the opportunity to take photos. And wouldn’t it be nice to be in a couple to show that you indeed were celebrating too!

Here are a few of our tips of how to capture special birthday milestones in your child’s life:

1. Presents. Sometimes the easiest time (and by easiest we mean less hectic than having 20 kids running around your house!!) to get some special photos is when the Birthday Child is opening their family presents. Bright wrapping paper and their excitement of new toys make for great vibrant photos. You might have the opportunity to set the location up where you have good light and a chance to remove unwanted items from the background. Of course this means asking your child to wait until daylight hours before they get to open their presents!!!!
2. Birthday Cake. Some of the most vivid memories of a birthday can be of the cake. Location and light is definitely an important factor to consider where you place the cake down for the Birthday Child to blow out their candles. Again consider a well-lit area but try to avoid harsh direct sunlight. Don’t be afraid to stake out the photographer’s position so that you have a good angle on the important subject. Similarly, if you want particular people around your child such as siblings, get them into the spot you want them.
3. The Party. This is when it’s a really good idea to have someone else taking photos on your behalf. At my son’s party this year I didn’t and I have 3 photos as a result … but I prioritised taking photos at other times on his birthday. Parties are generally in places where you have no control over light so do the best you can. If the party is in full sunlight consider using your flash to reduce the shadows the overhead sun is putting onto the children’s faces. This is a definite scenario where you are best choosing sports mode or shutter priority as your camera’s mode to capture the action.
4. Special Friends. Birthdays can be a great time to photograph your children with their closest friends. These photos can make for a lovely record of the children they have grown up with over the years, or jog their memory of friends that have moved away to different places.
5. Family.  Birthdays are occasions when I like to capture family together too. This year I set the tripod up and recorded our morning time together before the madness of the party started.
6. The details.   Often we go to a lot of effort in the details for our children’s birthdays. Don’t forget to capture some photos of the details such as party food, special gifts, decorations etc.

For more tips on photographing special birthday moments, check out our blog at www.mumthephotographer.com/blog