At-Home Photography Tips for Kids

To keep little ones busy while the UK is in lockdown, we asked David Parry at Canon UK & Ireland to share his top at-home photography tips for kids
With the majority of us now spending our days indoors, there’s no better time for families to get creative – be it with crafts, painting, model-making, or even photography! Here, David Parry from Canon UK & Ireland gives a few top at-home photography tips for kids to try at home.
Bring their toys to life
Task your little ones with gathering all their favourite toys from around the house. Line them up and shoot from the floor or as low as possible to make them look life size – dinosaurs and toy animals are great for this. If you have the space, include a person in the background to have fun with perspective!
Discover a hidden world
Macro photography is the art of getting up close and capturing the hidden world. Most cameras have a macro mode, which is usually indicated by a flower icon. You’ll be amazed by how close you can get to a subject to make it look larger than life. Encourage your children to try this with house plants – you never know, you might see a beetle or spider hiding among the leaves or on the petals.
Add some fun effects
Many cameras have different creative effects and filters that you can add to photos. Get your children to dress up like a cowboy or cowgirl using props from around the house, and use a black and white or sepia effect to create an authentic vintage look.
Get creative with video
Video modes can be great fun too, so why not think about shooting something together? Encourage imaginative play, and ask little ones to create a chat show or short film using their toys.
Capture a family photo
Activating the self-timer gives the whole family time to get into the frame before the image is taken. Play around with different group shots in various rooms around the house, or in the garden if you have one.

Experiment with lights and shadows
Light changes throughout the day, so photograph the same subject in the early morning, lunchtime and late afternoon. This is a great way to show how the angle of the sun affects light and shadows.
Photograph in the dark
For a bit of evening adventure, wait until it gets dark and move household lamps around to create dramatic light when shooting everyday objects like books and vases.
Make a video blog
Work with them to create a short video blog around your week. Shoot a scene each day and then put them together using one of the free video editing apps. Remember to script what you’re going to say for that professional look.
Photograph your pets
Pets are always fun to photograph, but can be hard to manage. If you want to snap your pets, work with your little ones to practice with soft toys first as they are much more compliant.
Compile different colours and patterns
Create a game out of finding household items that are all the same colour. Red is always a great colour and can look really striking on camera. Arrange them in unusual patterns and photograph them at different angles.
READ MORE:
- The Best At-Home Activities to Keep Kids Busy
- How to Get Your Children Interested in Gardening
- How to Help Your Child Learn to Spell
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