As a child, I remember the joy of taking pictures on my little camera and then the amazement of collecting and opening the envelope to show the 24 pictures I'd taken. Of course, I would then discover that I'd missed the subject, taken a picture of my foot, got half of someone's head. But, it was exciting. My kids have also caught the photography bug and how glad are we that times have changed they can now view their pictures delete the mistakes as well as print instantly. We've been using our Epson Expression printer to print out some of their fabulous pictures from our travels this summer so carry on reading and discover our top tips for getting kids photographing and why we love Epson Expression here.
This is a sponsored post on behalf of Epson Expression Printers.
Getting Kids Taking the Photos
All photos shown apart from T taking a picture of her brother climbing the steps and where both kids are shown together were taken by the kids.
Back when our kids were preschoolers I got them both little cameras.
Instead of a kiddie camera that had games on etc... I wanted something that would allow them to take real pictures and some video.
So they started out with little point and shoot cameras or our phones to start taking pictures from their point of view.
Those cameras are still kicking around somewhere and now the kids tend to use our equipment to take the pictures with.
This summer 7 years on from those first cameras the kids took our GoPro around Mexico and used our phones, underwater camera and my DSLR to capture their travels.
In fact, they captured them so well that we entered their pictures in a children's photography competition and they both came runners up. One in the wildlife category and the other in the culture.
With those winning shots we had to print them out and our Epson Expression Premium XP-6100 is ideal.
Not only are they fabulous shots but it's also a real success for the kids that we wanted to recognise at home but displaying those photographs where we can see them.
Epson Expression Printers
Finding great quality home photography printers can be difficult.
My parents who take lots of wildlife photographs that they sell and gift have been through many different versions to try and find one that works.
The Epson Expression Premium XP-6100 is ideal and after seeing our results with the pictures we've printed so far they have purchased one themselves.
It has real true to screen colour so what you see on your monitor or mobile is what you get when you print. So that your travel photographs or family moments can be printed and added to your walls or scrapbooks without any fuss.
With the mobile printing, it doesn't matter where we have the pictures - whether it's the latest family selfie with the new puppy on our mobile to the pictures the kids took this summer on the computer we can send them straight to the printer via wifi to set up.
With 2 separate trays one for A4 paper and the other photo paper this means that our day to day printing can still happen but with the knowledge that those special moments can be sent to the photo paper tray to print and view.
Top Tips for Getting Your Kids Taking the BEST Photos
#1 Let them USe Real Cameras
So kids cameras are great - BUT they have so many games and apps on them the taking photographs becomes less of the cameras function.
Instead, give them a camera that you would use yourself.
Whether that's your phone, little camera or even help them learn to use your DSLR properly. It's important that they have the opportunity to use what you would use and both of you feel comfortable using it.
#2 Teach them how to hold the camera properly
In those packs of film that I mentioned above, I don't know how many of them had a finger over the lens.
It took me a while to figure out how to hold the camera properly.
Luckily with digital cameras, we can see the photographs before printing and can delete.
But, even so, it's still important that they know where the camera is taking the picture and how to hold it so that they avoid the finger over the camera.
#3 Let them Take LOTS of Photographs
Getting lots of photographs taken is one of the keys to great photographs.
With digital cameras and the ability to review and delete it doesn't matter if you have 400 pictures of their sister looking furious at having her pictures taken. The one or 2 others will be worth it.
Although to be fair we have printed out a few of her looking furious because it's her at this moment in time and that's part of our family photos.
#4 Look at Other People's Photographs
Go out and grab a copy of the National Geographic Magazine and look at the photos in it.
Talk to your kids about the colours, how photographers fill the frame or use the "Rule of Thirds" to get the best shot.
Show them that not all photos are selfies or portraits but landscapes, wildlife and buildings make great photographs too.
#5 Go on a Photo Walk
We used to combine these with nature walks or town walks and I would set a challenge.
Something like photograph things beginning with the letters of your name, or numbers that you can see.
A really fun one to do is Faces. Not people but where you see faces in objects.
#6 Have Fun With POsitions
Being 4ft something tall instead of 5ft 6 my kids have a unique perspective on the world and I encourage them to use it.
We take pictures looking up, looking down, from the ground, getting close to something, really close to something.
#7 Review the Pictures
Now we no longer need to throw away the dud pictures the temptation is just to download them and that's it.
One of the key things we did whilst travelling this summer was at the end of the day to ensure we had space on the camera cards for more we reviewed the pictures we had taken.
Favourite photos from most of our cameras could be sent to our mobile via wifi to share digitally with friends and family.
The bad ones deleted straight away and space made for new ones the next day.
#8 Print Them Out
Kids love seeing photographs and it's even better if they took them.
With our Epson Expression XP-6100, we can print from the computer or our mobile phones and the kids can then add then put them in an album, add them to their pinboards or put in a frame and onto the wall.
It's so easy.
#9 Have FUN With Photography
One of the reasons I love photography is that it captures the moment.
I don't like studio photographs they aren't us as a family. I'm not even really keen on posed selfies because again that's not us.
Like me, kids will capture life and that is what makes the best photographs.
Cerys Parker
Cerys is a marine biologist, environmental educator, high school teacher and mum. Realising that life doesn't have to be put on hold and you don't just have to survive whilst the kids are young she shares ideas to inspire you to LIVE with the kids, with activities to do together, recipes to cook and enjoy and family travel to make memories to last a lifetime.
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