How to take better pictures of your kids with your phone

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of ZTE Grand X Max 2. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love taking picture of my kids. I think they’re pretty used to me pulling out my camera to document daily events in their lives. They are usually okay with the pictures, but occasionally I’ll get an annoyed eye roll (or two). I’ve never regretted the amount of pictures and videos I have because I love looking at them and remembering the big and small events in our lives. That is why I love that there are cameras on phones now-a-days. It is so convenient and I never have to worry about missing anything because I always have my phone with me. I love that the ZTE Grand X Max 2 phone has a wide angle front camera and dual rear camera to help make your photos even better!

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Here are some tips for taking better pictures of your kids on your phone:

Make sure your lens is clean

It might seem like a silly tip, but it’s an important one and a good place to start. Your phone is going to be in your pocket, your purse, held all day long by you or your kids and the lens is bound to get smudged and dirty. Give it a little wipe with a microfiber wipe once in a while to keep it ready for pictures at all times. img_8622

Lighting

Lighting is so important for good photos and maybe even more so on a phone. Your pictures will be more crisp and beautiful if you have good lighting and grainier in bad lighting. Here are a few things to remember when looking for good lighting:

Indoors: take photos near a window for natural light and don’t use your flash if you can help it. The flash will make your subject look unnatural and weird. It also creates harsh shadows behind the subject.

Outdoors: When you’re outside avoid harsh sunlight, if it’s the middle of the day and it’s super sunny, try and find some shade to take photos. The best time of day for photos is called the “golden hour”. It is the first hour after the sun rises and the last hour before the sun sets. That time of day creates a soft and flattering light that is perfect for portraits. Of course, you can’t always plan your day around the “golden hour” and most of the time when you want to take pictures of your kids on your phone it’s spontaneous and there’s no time for staging or posing. Just play around with what angle works best in the harsh sunlight. Sometimes with a phone all it takes is touching the screen. Touch the subject in the photo and it will automatically adjust the exposure and it can compensate for the bright sun. 10649739_10152351706946818_2493173159405687101_n

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Take a lot of pictures 

Kids move fast and they move A LOT. Thank goodness we have digital cameras now and we don’t have to worry about running out of film. Even when I’m taking a posed shot of my kids I take 5-10 pictures in a row because they will be wiggling and closing their eyes. Taking multiple shots is especially important if you’re taking pictures of them running and playing. You can immediately delete pictures that didn’t turn out if you’re worried about filling your phone. img_1650

Take pictures of them doing what they love

First of all, you will capture genuine smiles and emotions when you take pictures of your kids doing things they love. Next, you will both love having those memories later on. It will take the stress off of your kids to look good in a photo, they will just be having fun doing what they already want to be doing. img_1799-2

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Make sure the picture is in focus

Luckily, it’s pretty easy to make sure a photo is in focus on a phone. Just make sure you touch the screen where you want it to focus.

My selfies are more in focus when I use the volume button to take photos, my husband says his are more in focus when he uses the regular shutter button. You may want to play around with what works best for you to take selfies that are in focus. The ZTE Grand X Max 2 phone has a cool Bokeh effect setting that I love. It creates a blur in the out-of-focus parts of an image to draw more attention to your subject. img_1635

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Candid shots

Get pictures of your kids playing and being themselves. They don’t have to be looking at the camera and smiling at you to get a good photo. img_1649

Get pictures of everyday activities

Take pictures of things that you do every single day. Take pictures shopping at the store, carpool, eating dinner, and reading or homework time. These are the things that happen every day and even though they seem tedious right now you will love looking back on those daily activities later on. img_1554 img_1491

Make jokes and get them talking

I take a lot of pictures of my kids all together smiling at the camera. They are so used to taking those pictures that they plaster fake smiles and stare at me just to get the picture over with. Sometimes to change it up I’ll tell one of them to tell a joke and get pictures of their reaction. Their smiles are more genuine and it’s fun to capture little moments of them talking and joking with each other. You can also do this if you’re taking pictures of one of your kids. Tell them to tell you a funny story and snap pictures of their smiles as they talk. Or tell them a funny story and get pictures of their reactions. img_0717

Edit your photos

Sometimes taking pictures on a phone can be a little unpredictable. It may seem like the lighting is perfect and you’ll still end up with a picture a little darker than you would like. Find a free photo editing app to help you get the look you’re going for. I like to use Snapseed or I’ll edit my photos right in Instagram with the editing tools (not the filters). Most of the time the only editing I will do is add brightness to a picture if it’s needed and adjust the temperature of a photo. If your picture looks a little blue add more warmth to your photo and if your photo looks too orange decrease the warmth to get the correct color. vfkt4694

Watch the background

A simple and uncluttered background is more pleasing to the eye and draws attention to the subject of the photo. Sometimes all it takes to make the background less distracting is changing your perspective. Get in a little closer or move a little lower and block some distractions with their head. Move around and see what works. img_4871

Get down to their level

The best way to engage your kids and get them feeling comfortable for a photo is to get on their level. It’s also a fun way to see the world from their perspective. It’s also the best way for them to look at the camera straight on and it’s more natural and comfortable for them. img_8104

Be in the photos!

I know there are a lot of people out there that criticize selfies, but I personally love that it’s never been easier to be in photos. Get in the pictures with your kids, even if that means a selfie. Your kids will love looking at them when they are older and you will love it too. I don’t have many pictures of me with my oldest and I totally regret it. Back then I probably shied away from the camera because I was self conscious for whatever reason and now I look back and wish my skin was as smooth and youthful. 🙂 I’ll probably look back in ten more years and think the same thing. Get in the pictures! img_9687   The type of phone you have will also help you take better photos of your kids. I really like the ZTE Grand X Max 2 phone. It has a large and beautiful 6 inch FHD LCD display so you can clearly see all of those beautiful pictures you take of your children. The phone has a wide angle front camera and dual rear camera to help you take even better photos. zte-phone This phone not only has a great camera, but it also has Dolby Audio and Hi-Fi Music and it’s a great high powered LTE smartphone. It has everything you want in a smartphone AND it is currently $129.99 when you bring your number to Cricket Wireless. The ZTE Grand X Max 2 phone is available for purchase at cricket wireless.com and Cricket Wireless authorized retail locations. Click here to Locate a Cricket Wireless authorized retail location.phoneCricket Wireless has affordable plans starting at $35/mo after $5 AutoPay credit, with monthly taxes and fees included! They also have a reliable 4G LTE network with more coverage than T-Mobile, Metro PCS, Sprint and Boost.   You have a chance to win your own ZTE Grand X Max 2 phone! Enter to win below a random winner will be chosen Sept. 30. (Find the Rules here)

Disclaimer: Buy ZTE Grand X Max 2 for $129, port number to Cricket and activate a new qualified plan, minimum $40 per month. Fees, other charges & restrictions apply. See store for details. $169.99 for existing Cricket customers

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  • Christina A.

    I love taking action shots–that makes for some fun photos! I also use a free photo editing app now to make photos brighter and crisper!ReplyCancel

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Hello! I am Camille, a wife, mother of four, Disney obsessed, certified teacher, and reality optimist. Motherhood comes with its ups and downs, and I hope while you're here you'll find something that makes your #momlife easier!

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