We have four kids, ranging in age from 14 to 33, and they’re pretty well spread out when it comes to which “photo era” they grew up in. When the older two kids were little in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, we were still in the Film Age. Digital cameras were still in their infancy, so most all of our photos were taken the good, old-fashioned way – with film in the camera. We think of that era as being a hundred years ago, but it really wasn’t.
When our third child came along in 1997, we were just starting to enter the Digital Age. It was much better and MUCH cheaper, and all we had to do was transfer all the photos from the camera to the computer every week or so. When Child No. 4 arrived in 2004, we were transitioning from the Digital Age to the Smartphone Age. By the time she was about 4, we had ditched the camera altogether and began taking all our photos with our phones.
I know the professionals still use a camera, but I’m far from a professional, and I can’t remember the last time I used a camera. It’s so much easier to use a phone, and the quality is excellent.
Through the years, though, and through all of those eras, one thing has remained constant: My kids always complain when I start taking photos. “Dad, stop! I look terrible!” “No, Dad! Delete that one!” “Dad, don’t take a picture! We’re just sitting here doing nothing!” Worst of all: When I ask a stranger to take a family photo of us. Our younger two still die of embarrassment every time.
And you know what? I don’t care. And eventually, neither do they.
My youngest one is 14 now, and there’s nothing she loves better than grabbing my phone and looking back at all the photos I’ve taken over the past few weeks, months and even years (I have an old phone). It reminds her of all the great times we’ve had as a family, and there’s nothing that can beat that.
So here’s my advice to every dad out there: You can never take enough photos.
Take photos of your kids and your family all the time, always. Thanks to smartphones, it’s so easy and cheap, and each moment only comes around once, so don’t miss the opportunity to get some photos of it. Your kids will complain now, but they’ll thank you for it later.
Here are my Five Rules of Dad Photography:
- Don’t limit your photos to just big events and big vacations. You’re obviously going to snap a lot of photos when you go to Disney World or on Christmas morning. Take them for other events, too. Going out to dinner. Hanging out at a family friend’s house. Playing in the backyard on a regular old Saturday afternoon. Everything.
- Don’t just do posed photos. Sure, you need a family photo in front of Cinderella’s Castle or in front of the Christmas tree. But snap plenty of other ones, too. Get some photos of your kids when they’re just sitting on the beach. Get some of them talking to their friends. Some of the best family photos I have are the ones that weren’t posed.
- Yes, ask strangers to take photos of your family. When you DO take a posed photo, you want the whole family in the shot, and unless you’re traveling with your own personal photographer, you’re going to have to ask a stranger to do the snapping. Your kids will probably hate it but don’t let that stop you. And when you’re scoping out the person you’re going to ask, look for someone who knows what they’re doing!
- Shoot both vertical and horizontal photos. Too many people take all their photos vertically because that’s how you hold your phone. Always remember to take a variety – some vertical and some horizontal. Why? Because you’re going to want to frame some of them, and you might need a horizontal shot (or a vertical shot) to fill that perfect spot on the mantle or bookshelf. You want some good ones to choose from.
- Plan ahead and stay charged up. If you know you’re heading into a situation when you’re going to want to take a lot of photos, don’t go into it with a smartphone battery that’s at 9 percent. Keep that phone charged so that you won’t miss a single shot.