Nothing beats keeping your camera with you at all times to be sure of capturing those special family moments. Of course these days even your humble smartphone you can take amazing images quickly.

The kids may complain at the time, but it is in the years to come that those candid images will really be most valued. 

Capturing the fun and spontaneous happenings today may at times be a drag, but get that one amazing image and you’ll be so pleased you made the extra effort.

Here are some tips and ideas to help you get the best out of every photo opportunity and create lasting memories you will love.

#1      Make it fun. Give the kids space to just run around and be themselves and shoot them naturally having fun. Have some props such as toys, books or balloons to help centre their focus. Shoot what happens there and then and don’t force anything.

#2      Get the light right. Morning or afternoon, rather than midday is when the light is evener. Photographing indoors near a window can throw perfect light onto faces. When outdoors be sure it’s overcast and there are no shadows across faces.

#3      Time of day. Pick a time when you know your kids are full of energy. Let the kids take a break whenever it’s not quite flowing so it doesn’t become a chore.

#4      Poses. Have some ideas in mind and try out those that you think will make your kids smile. 

#5      Combinations. Start by photographing everyone and then have an idea of other groupings you may want to shoot. If you’re a Mum shooting the family, pull Dad out of the picture first and continue to photograph the kids so as to move them around as little as possible.

#6      Legacy Shot. A snapshot that shows how tall each of the children are at a point in time against each other and Mum & Dad can be imaginatively captured. Have some fun with it.

#7      Composition. Watch backgrounds, don’t hesitate to crouch down to shoot at the same eye level as the kids, follow or don’t follow the rule of thirds, and most of all have fun.

Of course, when you have gone to all of this trouble you’ll be wanting to make sure they’re presented beautifully as well. Why not check out our printing and framing options, so you can keep your memories looking fabulous forever.

Oh, and you don’t have to just print them on plain photographic paper or canvas. There is now an enormous range of papers, fabrics and stunning metal onto which you can print some of the best memories of your life.