Tips for taking the perfect snaps

1 TURN IT INTO A GAME

One way to ensure your little ones are enjoying themselves is to turn the shoot into a game. This can be done in several ways, especially for babies and toddlers. Charlene’s top tip is to simply tell them they can't catch you and run off, then photograph them as they pursue you or vice versa. The aim is to capture a natural smile. Playing peekaboo behind your camera or phone is also very successful. Or you could ask a sibling or your partner to do it over your shoulder.

2 MAKE IT ABOUT INTERACTION

Charlene says having siblings play with each other while you are hiding in the garden is guaranteed to lead to a successful photograph, as you are bound to capture the interaction between them. Another way to distract them from the camera and catch them at their natural best is to go somewhere interesting and show them new things they have not experienced before. This will distract them from you with the camera, and they will be their natural selves. Even an unfamiliar sidewalk could be fun!

3 ALWAYS BE READY

Keep your camera close so you can catch those little moments, like your baby’s first day at the beach, everyone enjoying an ice cream, or your little one trying a new kind of food. Be aware of your surroundings. If your baby is sitting in the garden and the flowers behind her look like they are growing out of the top of her head, then change your angle, and it will change the background slightly.

4 WORK WITH THE LIGHT

Morning or late afternoon light is the best for taking photos outside, as it softens shadows. It’s not always possible to plan this, so when you are confronted with glaring sunlight in the middle of the day, use your flash to counterbalance the light and eliminate shadows on faces. Nobody can look into the harsh sun and have a beautiful smile, says Charlene, so try shooting late afternoon at the beach for amazing images where the sky looks like candy floss and there are lots of opportunities to play in the shallow water.

5 GUARD AGAINST THAT GRIN

Don’t get your children to grin into the camera, as they often end up posing awkwardly. If your child sees the camera and becomes camera- shy, distract her with a task, like splashing in water, dragging a stick on the beach, collecting shells or taking the dog for a walk.

6 EXPERIMENT AND PLAN

Be artistic and use your imagination when taking photographs. Experiment with different angles and viewpoints. Get down low – lie on the ground in front of your child if you have to. Charlene says this can really turn a photograph into magic as their expression changes when they look you straight in the eye. You can even try focusing on different elements, like a hand holding a flower or feet on the grass. Think about taking photos of reflections and footprints in the sand. Don’t just point and shoot, put some thought into it.

7 DRAW IN THE FOCUS

Distracting backgrounds ruin many photographs – especially portrait photographs. For a good portrait, crop in closer and eliminate the distraction in the background. Keep the image tight; use sharp focus on the eyes of the person whose photograph you’re taking, keeping the rest of the image a bit softer.

8 INCORPORATE YOUR SURROUNDINGS

Unlike a portrait photograph, landscapes work best when you include beautiful surroundings in the shot. The sea, mountains, forest and bright, saturated blue skies all make for amazing complementary backdrops. In the case of a landscape, you can keep your baby to the left or right of the frame, which allows you to include more elements. Take a picture of your baby running on the beach, or your toddler splashing in the waves or walking down a path in the forest using this technique. These images will be beautiful enough to frame.

9 TELL A STORY

Don’t just pick up your camera for that single photo of your child collecting shells. Start at the beginning by taking a close-up of a hand reaching for a shell, then take the curious little face peeping into the bucket, and then a wider shot walking along the water’s edge with the bucket. These images together will form your story and would be lovely to mount in the same frame.