What does sledding have to do with photography?
Everything when you have kids! One of my missions as a mom is to document all kinds of family snow pictures of our children using simple iPhone photo tips. This week’s sledding escapade was no different…or was it?
While the East Coast was getting hammered with snow storms we sat in the dry Southwest envious of the photos and videos our family back east were sending showing them building snowmen and sledding. We quickly decided that we would take our own adventure to the mountains the next day!
Snow day here we come!
We spent a good amount of time the following morning getting our gear together – jackets, boots, snow pants, gloves, hats. I even had a brand new pair of snow boots I had bought last spring that I proudly got at a great bargain. Gotta love those off season sales!
With several kids it wasn’t necessarily the fastest operation because invariably someone doesn’t fit in gear from the previous outing but we managed to find something for everyone. We piled everything into the back of the van and off to the mountains we went.
The kids were bubbling with excitement since it had been almost 2 years since our last snow expedition. The dog even seemed enthusiastic with his little orange booties strapped on!
Once we arrived we were happy to see more snow than we expected and soon found a place to park along the road. Everyone jumped out and went to the back to put their gear on.
Time for my new boots!
I waited until most had gotten their stuff before I made my way to the open van door to get properly outfitted and finally put on my sparkling new boots. The kids had thrown their things everywhere and the more I searched for my boots the more I got this eerie feeling that they wouldn’t be unearthed in the mess of discarded clothing. No matter how hard I looked I couldn’t find them!
The kids were already dressed and walking away when it dawned on me that my new kicks had been left behind. I could envision them now, unscuffed, furry and super insulated to keep my toes toasty warm.
Instead I looked down at my feet and all I had were an old pair of short leather Teva boots. In the rush to get out the door my husband had packed all the kids’ stuff and left my brand new boots upstairs in our bedroom! :(((
To say the least my mood changed and I told everyone to go ahead without me. 😢😢
Take it as it comes.
After 15 minutes of pouting I knew my dimmed mood couldn’t last forever because I was also looking forward to snapping some new pics of the kids in different gear. They had all grown so much since the last time we had been in the mountains during winter and some new family snow pictures would document that well.
I decided to make the best of it and get out there knowing my feet would be a bit colder and wetter but the kids would be thrilled and have fun regardless. With my iPhone and mini tripod in hand I ventured into the snow!
Our dog the cliff diver.
The kids had found a sledding trail away from other families and the dog was in heaven. Upon seeing me our little pup went into a frenzy, leapt off a 6 foot ledge, landed smoothly in a pile of snow and came bounding up to meet me. It was an amazing jumping feat and he was ecstatic!
That put a huge smile on my face and I let the snow and sunny skies bring me some happiness. The rest of the day was spent falling off of sleds in laughter, tumbling, sliding on our butts and taking lots and lots of family snow pictures. I even got in a few self timers!
Family snow pictures are a snap with these four valuable iPhone photo tips.
1. Have your camera on you at all times.
You can never plan for the unexpected but always be ready to capture it! This is even truer when it comes to family snow pictures (since we all know kids can do the darndest things) and these days it couldn’t be easier with everyone carrying their iPhones around with them wherever they go. I know some activities like sledding might pose more of a challenge but just find a secure, zippered pocket and be ready to pop it out to catch all the ruckus and laughter.
2. Lighting is a big deal when it comes to taking quality photos.
You need to make sure there isn’t too much or all your subjects will be washed out in the photos. It’s always better to take darker pictures that you can later lighten up. There is very little you can do to improve an overexposed photo. Always remember that.
Also, you don’t want too many uneven shadows because your favorite peeps will have funny looking striations and lines from the different dark spots. On bright sunny days in the snow keep in mind to find some more uniform light amongst a group of trees or give yourself some distance between the subject and camera phone. The iPhone camera picks up many different light sources and generally does a good job of evening it all out.
3. Remember not to zoom past 3x.
On the newer iPhone models the camera will begin to use digital zoom beyond 3x (with older phones it may be as early as 2.5x) and the quality of the picture becomes more degraded. So if you’re looking for crisp, clear images this isn’t a good thing. Digital zoom simply increases the size of the image and crops it. In other words, your camera isn’t gaining any new detail, it’s just getting a bigger, blurrier shot. With that said, try not to use digital zoom over simply moving closer to the subject of your photos.
4. Relaxed faces will definitely produce the best photos.
Taking pictures of kids during a fun activity like playing out in the snow is a sure way to capture them in their natural state and facial expressions. These are the best times to take pictures because it won’t feel posed with fake smiles but instead get their genuine emotions. You’ll see a big difference in the mood of the shot even if it was self-timed, like we did on a couple of them.
Extra Bonus: 4 Secrets To Taking Amazing Family Adventure Pix
When it’s time to head out into the wilderness don’t forget these four extra bonus tips from my video on how to take amazing family adventure pictures:
- Bring your iPhone…Charged!
- Go with the flow.
- Forgive yourself for imperfect pix.
- Laugh and Relish the moment!
Using these pointers you’ll take amazing family snow pictures of them doing all their favorite outdoor activities.
Those dang kids grow up so fast!
And you don’t want to miss any of it, so make sure you’re ready to take family snow pictures with your iPhone in hand! Years later when you look back and remember the funny moments you might have forgotten you’ll be glad that you were able to document those good times. Your new boots may become old and unappreciated but your awesome family photos never will!
Has your crew journeyed into the great outdoors this season?
There are so many fun things to do outdoors in the winter. Our family loves this time of year. Everything looks so different from the summer months offering tons of photo opportunities. The shorter days mixed with rain or snow can make for some interesting lighting challenges. And with a lot of the plants and trees losing their leaves it can feel a bit desolate and foreboding. But winter can also be incredibly beautiful (especially when there’s snow!).
Maybe your family likes hiking, skating, skiing, snowboarding, tubing, or snowshoeing? Whatever you choose, make sure to comment below and let me know what family snow pictures you’ve been capturing lately!
PS – If you’re looking for more useful iPhone photo tips get my free guide – 6 Successful Ways To Organize Your iPhone Photos With Albums.
0 Comments