When I started out photographing my children, I like many mums was always trying to capture the beautiful smiles and maybe trying to get the perfect composition. Looking back at the photos I cherished the most, I realised that the perfect smile wasn’t always present. More often than not, my loved ones were doing everyday things, like sleeping, or eating or simply walking or interacting with another loved one.

Here are my tips on how to capture those beautiful moments in an unposed way.

1. Messy is ok!

When you think about your children do you imagine a perfectly clean face? Or do they need a nose or chin wiped? Are they covered in crumbs or need their hair brushed? Sure your mum might have an immaculate studio photo of you on her hallway wall, where you’re grinning a cheesy grin and we grow to love those photos, but that was one day.

Most of your childhood you didn’t spend in a studio, most of your childhood was probably scuffed shoes, a Christmas jumper you loved so much that you’re still wearing it in February, a bit of hair that refuses to stay down. These are the things that make a childhood, these are the things we want to remember.

2. Put down you camera

Photographing your children can be an instant emotional reaction to something you’ve seen and you want to capture forever. Trust me, I’m a mum. Looking through your camera roll you might find you’ve captured the same image over and over again. Go on, if you’re on your phone, go and have a look. If you have a picture of your baby facing you, or in his buggy over and over again …  read on.

Put down your camera and look. Look with your heart not your eyes, what do you see. Do it now, do it on Sunday morning, do it when your partner is cooking, do it when granny is looking into your baby’s eyes or daddy is cuddling your baby to sleep. What do you feel. Next time you pick up your camera, try to capture that feeling. On Sunday morning, wake up early, grab a cup of tea and get back into bed, wait for the family to slowly wake up and get ready to capture those memories.

3. Have fun, laugh even

My son has gotten to the ripe old age of 4. He’s started to become conscious of the camera, he either puts his hand over his face, runs away or grins a shy grin trying to perform and please me. Asking him to “relax your face” only draws more attention to his posing, so I either photograph something else, ask him if he wants to have a look at the pictures I just took or something else to take his mind of it.

Then I try to make him laugh, it doesn’t take much to make a 4 year old laugh. They want to laugh, making a funny noise, making up a silly word, crossing your eyes, pretty much anything, not only does it make photography fun for the children but also the photographer. It helps everyone relax and that’s when you capture the best moments.

4. Get creative

Next time you pick up your camera, look around. Look for things to shoot through, like a branch or have a look at a reflection in the mirror or a puddle, better still wait for the splash. Get low down and shoot from the ground up, shoot directly into the sun, or from on top of a chair looking down. Shoot through a glass or take a selfie with your child when you’re both lying down. Give it a go and share your pictures on my facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/495679514114149/