Are you one of the mums who hate being photographed? I promises these three simple tips will make you feel more comfortable about being in videos and pictures with your children.

I have made it my mission to get mums into pictures with their children – we simply don’t feature enough! We are always taking pictures of our children and partner, but somehow we become forgotten. I know we are busy saying “oh I hate being photographed” but one day, we will come to regret not being photographed. One day, when we look back through our images and albums, we will find we weren’t on those holidays or at those big milestone moments. There is no replay button here, the only way we can enjoy images in the future is by getting into the frame today :o)
Here are 3 tips for getting into the frame, and I guarantee that you will become comfortable with this much quicker than you think…

Think about your own mum

Do you love finding and looking at pictures of your mum when she was growing up? Do you love seeing pictures of you as a child with your mum? Do you ever look at any of the images of your own mum and think things like “oh mum you really shouldn’t have been photographed because you were too big/tall/short/bad hair/bad nose/anything? No! You just see your mum! You just love being able to get a little glimpse of time. And that’s all your kids see, their mum. They don’t see all the things you are worried about. And you are robbing your children of the opportunity to see these images in the future if you don’t get out of your own way and get in those pictures… it’s true ;o)

1. Be small in the frame

So now we have a (slightly) better mindset for being in the images, a good place to start is by being small in the frame. If you feel super uncomfortable about being photographed and being confronted with those images, then don’t start out with a lose up portrait. You can be walking along with your children, sitting over there on the sofa having cuddles or sitting on those big rocks further away on the beach. Get your partner/friend/photographer to back up a bit and give you a bit of safety space. Now print one of those pictures out, pin it up and get used to seeing it. Get your kids to help pick their favorite, that will help make you feel better about the one they choose, because that’s the mum they see and love.
Next time, you can be a little bit bigger in the frame, and before you know it, you have become comfortable seeing your self in those pictures!

2. Don’t look at the camera

Look at your children and smile! That’s it! Just avoiding the confrontational feel of looking straight into the camera will make it feel easier, and there is a good chance that you will find it easier looking at the picture too.
Level two, will then be looking at the camera while you are small in the frame, and you can build up to being closer in the frame AND looking at the camera.

3. Details count too

I absolutely love picture of holding hand with the boys. I know it’s a phase that won’t last forever, so I am always shooting these. If you mix a close up picture of you holding hands, with a picture of you being small in the frame you are still telling your story, without the harsh close up “portrait confrontation”. Again print this picture of and pin it up, just lovely to see 🙂
There are lot of detail pictures to have, baby feet in your arms, cuddles, feet walking along…. anything that tells your story and this phase of your life with kids…

4. Bonus – turn it black & white

And finally a little bonus tip – turn the image black and white! Somehow women always prefer our selves in black & white. So a black & white picture, where you are holding hands with your children, far way small in the frame – that is a guaranteed easy place to start 🙂

Good luck, I absolutely hope this will help you get into the picture with your children – you will all be mighty appreciative of this later in life x