Tips for Photographing Birthday Parties

Without a doubt, birthday are one of the major highlights of the year for children. Their enthusiasm is infectious and it is natural for parents to want to capture the special day with memorable photographs. Instead of ending up with a collection of stiff poses and forced smiles, a little creativity can go a long way in garnering spontaneous, fun images. Following these simple tips will help you to capture the most memorable record of this special day like a professional photographer would, without the expense.

1. Worth a Thousand Words

Commemorate each of your child’s birthdays by focusing on the various details that help to indicate their age and growth. For example, the décor, candles, and gifts can all reveal plenty about a certain time in a child’s life. For daytime parties, it is best to stick with natural light outdoors or near a large window for images that are fresh and appealing. Parties held later in the evening can be photographed with a fill flash and a shutter speed of around 1/100 or higher. Increase the ISO setting to allow for more light.

2. It’s All in the Eyes (and Grins!)

Birthday parties have the power to turn children into rambunctious, excited bundles of energy and glee. As the kids play and interact, watch them from a distance and keep a camera on hand to quickly capture expressions. By shooting in AV mode (Aperture Priority), you can have control of the aperture settings while allowing the camera to automatically adjust the shutter speed. Using flash is an excellent option for freezing the moment, especially when kids are moving about at fast speeds.

3.The Classic Cake Shot

Photo by Sv music F

When the birthday child is opening presents or sitting down to cake, shoot close-up pictures of the action with a 50 mm or similar lens. Use a shallow depth of field to keep at focus on the kids. Set the shutter speed at 1/160 second to keep the image sharp but still capture candle smoke trails. This shot more than anything else will capture the essence of the special day.

4.Focus on Facial Expressions

Keep your eyes on the children, and be ready to capture funny or priceless faces they make while playing and taking part in activities. Use a 24 to 70 mm zoom lens, an ISO between 100 and 800, a wide aperture of f/2.8 to f/4, and set the mode to Aperture Priority. Use a separate flash, which is stronger than built in.

5. Time for a Close-Up

Photo by Justin Beckley

The beauty of photography is that it allows the photographer to present an event or subject from many different points of views that typically don’t occur to others. An excellent way to present a birthday party is by going in for close-up images. Since kids can feel very self-conscious (as do most of us!) when there is a camera inches away from their faces, use a zoom lens to get close up from a little distance away. Use an aperture setting of 2.8 or lower if possible for a beautiful blurred background, while keeping the forefront sharp.

6. Making Memories

Photo by Show Your Boness

While the birthday child is the focal point of the party, it is the guests that help to make it fun too. Observe them interacting and shoot a few images without interrupting them. Use colorful background decorations to help create a vibrant frame in the image. Don’t forget to shoot from a lower level too; photographing children from their height level helps the viewer to connect better with the image. Use an ISO of up to 400 with an aperture of f/2.8 to f/4 for dim indoor shots. Make sure to include activities and decorations in these shots.

7. Candid Camera

Those spur of the moment shots are typically the funniest and most memorable ones at a birthday party. Be aware of the children’s activities and try to anticipate such moments. Other parents will not expect it, but they will be quite touched and pleased to receive a small print or emailed image that includes their own children too.

Useful Camera Settings

After the sugar rush of cake, pop, and other goodies, expect the kids to get quite loud and boisterous! To ensure that the images of children in motion are sharp, use a fast shutter speed of 1/100 or 1/125. Keep the images well exposed with an ISO setting of around 400 or higher for indoor shots and around 200 for outdoors. A wide aperture will help to focus on the children while blurring out distracting background details.

Equipment

Keep a couple of lenses on hand for the party, but not so many that they become a burden to deal with. Also make sure to keep them in a safe place, out of reach of small, clumsy hands and fingers covered in frosting! A telephoto lens is great for quick candid shots, while a 50mm lens produces beautiful portraits and close-ups.

Final Words

With the right attitude and a little pre-planning, photographing a child’s birthday party can be heaps of fun. Stay alert to new scenarios that crop up and always be ready to shoot a picture quickly. Leave the kids to their own devices for the most part in order to avoid fake, posed images. Spontaneous, natural shots will help to produce the most realistic memories of the party