Classic kids portraits are timeless. They capture that perfect, fleeting moment of childhood in a way that never goes out of style. These close-up portraits look gorgeous in frames and make the best gifts especially or grandparents.

And here’s the best part – they don’t have to be complicated!

In fact, you can create stunning, classic portraits of your kids in just a few minutes, and I’m going to show you how.A

AND if you want to dive even deeper when you finish, you’ll love our next photography workshop! Capturing Kids with Amanda Marenghi starts online 5th May – click HERE to find out more and grab your spot!

1. Styling for Color

When it comes to classic kids’ portraits, less is more. A simple outfit can make a big impact. Think soft, solid colors or subtle patterns that won’t distract from your little one’s face.

Bright colors can look stunning, but too many can overwhelm the image. Stick to one or two main colors in the outfit, and make sure they complement each other.

If you love bold colour, choose one for their top, and keep the rest neutral – eg. a deep green tee paired with denim.

And if you want a bit of texture, throw in a cute cardigan or knitted beanie – it’ll add interest and personality.

Tips to Avoid a Pinterest Fail

• Neons – they’ll blow out even before you get to editing
• Character clothing or logos – they’re distracting and they’ll date
• Patterns – no need to avoid altogether but simple classic patterns work best such as spots, stripes, small florals.

 

2. The Right Background

The background can make or break a portrait, but don’t stress – it doesn’t have to be fancy. A clean, clutter-free space is your best friend here. Whether you’re inside or outside, the goal is to keep the background simple and complimentary to the outfit.

Indoors? A plain wall can work wonders – white, light grey, or even a bold color that complements your child’s outfit.

Don’t be afraid to use bold colored walls – they can add depth and vibrancy to your portraits.

Another great option is using a simple vinyl or seamless paper backdrop which you can get online. A solid color can help the child stand out and keep the focus on them, which is exactly what you want for classic portraits. Conversely, a patterned backdrop – eg. a colourful throw or quilt cover – can add a sense of fun and visual interest.

Alternatively, laying your child down on a colorful blanket or throw can bring in warmth and texture without taking the focus away from them.

Tips to Avoid a Pinterest Fail

We’re all for a home made backdrop (in fact we have a blog post on exactly this topic!). But if you’re using bedding, bear these tips in mind!

• Hang them neatly: Whether you’re using a throw, a quilt cover or other fabric, ensure there are no creases or folds in the frame.
• Iron quilt covers well: Ensure it’s smooth to avoid creases or pilling in the shot.
• Patterned quilt covers work best: They can mask any small imperfections
• Steer clear of bed sheets: They’re often too light, making it hard for creases to fall out, and solid colors highlight imperfections.

3. Natural Window Light

Here’s the magic ingredient: natural light.

You don’t need fancy lighting equipment to get the best shot. In fact, natural light will give your photos a soft, flattering look that’s perfect for portraits.

Look for a big window – preferably one that lets in lots of soft light without being too harsh. The kind of light will wrap beautifully around their features, giving you that soft, beautiful glow.

Position your child so they’re facing the window at a 45-90 degree angle and this will give you some nice gentle shadows on the other side of their face.

If you’re shooting indoors and you don’t have access to a large window, don’t worry! Try doorway light instead at a time of day when the opening is in shadow. If you’ve got clutter behind your subject rather than a plain wall, you could ask a helper to hold up a backdrop.

Related: Doorway Portraits

Tips to Avoid a Pinterest Fail

• Avoid direct sunlight: Direct sunlight creates harsh shadow lines which are jarring and distracting.
• The easiest way to avoid direct sunlight is to either move a little further away from the window until you’re in soft light pocket, or move to a room where the sun is positioned on another side of the house.

4. Getting the Right Camera Settings

If you’ve ever found yourself fiddling with your camera settings, trying to get that perfect shot, I feel you! But when it comes to classic portraits, there are a few simple settings that will work wonders for you.

First, shoot with a wide aperture (low f-number like f/2.8 or the widest your lens allows) to blur the background and make your child the clear focus of the shot. This gives you that lovely, creamy background that we all love.

Second, I like to give myself plenty of wiggle room with shutter speed, even when shooting still portraits. Why? Because kids move even when they’re sitting still!

If you use a shutter speed of a minimum of 1/125, if your child laughs spontaneously, you’ll capture that moment in sharp focus.

If you’re really stuck for good natural light, you can go down to around 1/80 but bear in mind you could capture unwanted motion blur if they move.

And finally, ISO! If you’re indoors with a dimmer window light or not a lot of ambient light in the surroundings, don’t hesitate to bump it up. Get to know your camera’s sweet spot for grain – some grain is fine, too much can result in a loss of quality. But most modern cameras can handle at least ISO2000 before starting to lose quality, and Lightroom ‘s denoise tools are getting better and better.

When you’re photographing more than one face, you might need a little more depth of field. This image below is captured at f/3.2 and it works because both faces are on almost the same focal plane. When faces are not on the same focal plane, you need to narrow your aperture even more (higher f number, eg. f/4).

Aperture Myth Buster

There’s a very common misconception that when photographing more than one person, you choose your aperture to match the number of people in the frame. For example 6 people = f6.3. By that reasoning, if you were photographing an extended family of say 18 people, you’d need f18 which is absolutely overkill.

It’s all about how many focal planes faces are on, not how many faces are in the frame.

Wrapping It Up

See? Classic kids portraits don’t have to be complicated. With just a few simple tips you can create portraits that are not only gorgeous but timeless.

And the best part? These portraits will capture your child at this moment in time, turning them into something you’ll cherish forever.

Now, grab your camera and start shooting those beautiful kids! You’ve got this Xx

New Online Workshop: Capturing Kids with Amanda Marenghi

If you want more tips for classic kids photography, you’ll love our next photography workshop!

Amanda Marenghi is one of our most talented child photographers, known for her creamy, flawless portraits with pop! And she’s sharing all her secrets in a workshop she’s created just for Click Love Grow: Capturing Kids. It’s starting soon – click HERE to find out more and grab your spot!