Mum's- exist in photos. How to take better family portraits on your iphone:
The number one mission of LA Photography is to encourage as many families globally as possible to enjoy more family portraits. Thousands of children world wide do not have portraits with their parents because of mum's being too shy to get in front of the camera with them. This to me is very sad, and I will explain why as well as offering ways to take better family portraits with you all in them on your mobile.
I say this as a photographer who receives many requests from mum's wanting portraits only of their children. When I ask them why they tell me they don't want to get in front of the camera because they don't know what it is, they just don't take a very good photo.
I am here to let you know your family don't see the flaws you identify yourself as having but they love you just as you are. They don't say; "Mum I love you. If only you didn't have that giant pimple on your forehead...." or; "Mum I love you. If only you didn't have that single grey hair under all of your other hair that can't be seen but is all you see or that small wrinkle that is actually a smile line".
They simply say; "Mum.... I love you".
Not all families can get to a professional photographer whether it be for financial reasons or because one family member is away on work commitments all the time. In keeping in line with the LA Photography mission, I will be providing families with as many tools and helpful Blogs as possible to allow you to enjoy better family portraits.
Why this is so important and valuable to me is this is all I have left of my family: portraits to remember them by. I know first hand the value of a family portrait and your family portrait is truly your family heirloom and legacy of which you remember them by. I was lucky. My mum (my entire family actually) loved to show off for the camera whenever we had the chance. I am so grateful they did because that is now what I have left to remember them by: those photos.
Families truly not only accept you for who you are, but have you feeling more able to be yourself. I can't think of a single time where any of my family members felt shy for the camera. Including in places where we should have felt shy!!!
As a professional photographer who relies on my mobile phone a lot when I am on location, I am always on the hunt for different mobile phone products I can invest in to take better behind the scenes photos and video.
I feel I have very little excuse for posting a poor quality photo even if I am in dark or crappy lighting!
I will do additional Blogs showing these in detailed usage, but for now here I am just going to list the products and their added benefit:
1/ The Selfie Stick: Yes- it actually surprisingly makes all the difference in the world in how much you can include in your image. Therefore it is ideal for a family portrait because as you set up the image whilst looking at the back of your camera and you can see how you are looking. You are all more likely to fit in meaning that mum has no excuse to shy away from the camera during mobile phone family photos! More of you can now fit in.
2/ Bluetooth remote for your iphone: Have you ever needed to take a Selfie, but didn't want it to look like you were taking a Selfie? A wireless bluetooth for your iphone will allow you to do this both for Selfie portraits OR video.
I love it because as a professional photographer who has my iphone with me on location quite a lot, I want to be able to look relaxed whilst doing my video instead of dealing with having to hold my phone in the right place and this product allows me to do just that.
What it most of all means in terms of making sure mum gets in the photo, is you can all sit it down, all stand back from your mobile phone whilst seeing the image in view. Then, when you're all ready and you all have the look and stance you're wanting for your portrait you simply click your remote that you have in your hand.
It definitely beats the mobile phone timer! It actually almost replaces the need for the Selfie Stick and I would purchase one of these over a Selfie Stick. Not to mention they're no bigger than a 20 cent coin and much easier to keep in your purse! You do need to connect to it via the Bluetooth settings on your mobile phone.
3/ LED light Selfie case: No, you don't have to pay $300 that I have seen people pay for these but only between $19- $35 on Amazon. As we know taking a photo in dark places using the iphone camera flash does nothing but destroy the quality and if anything makes the quality worse.
A LED light Selfie case means that if you're in poor lighting or at a family gathering at night, for example at a restaurant, you can take a beautiful family portrait with your bluetooth remote setting up the image beautifully, together with your flash LED light which means it will be well lit and the quality will be in tact.
Mum's, these are just some of the tools available to you allowing you to enjoy better family portraits and for you to exist in your family portraits even on your iphone family photos.
If you still find you are unable to achieve the results you would like to, LA Photography specialises in family portraits and I invite you to join me in the studio for a complimentary discussion on how I can assist you in creating beautiful family portraits that you can be enjoying in decades to come.
For your future generations to enjoy- because that is why we take family portraits. They are our visual family tree.
You can see in my family portrait below taken today with my Uncle and Aunt on my mobile phone none of the above tools were used. It would have been much nicer if we had;
