John from SyncSpeed posted recently about getting closer to your subjects. I also want to reiterate how easy it is to get great pictures by doing this, especially of babies and kids. You can take an otherwise boring picture and make it pop by simply zooming in, walking closer to your subject or cropping out unwanted background. It also helps to off-center your photo for more interestingness, too, like the photo shown here.

This is a great technique for taking pictures of kids because their expressions are so priceless. The closer you get to a child’s face, the better able you are to experience these great expressions and tell a better story.

Don’t limit yourself to getting up close and personal with just faces. All manner of body parts are fun for this technique. It’s a fun way to tell a story. Take the photo of my family’s feet at the beach, for example. All you have to see is a close-up photo of baby feet in sand to know that tons of fun was had by all! These kinds of photos are great in a series where you are telling a story through multiple photos.

Have fun getting up close to your kids for better shots. And if they are a little annoyed or afraid of the camera in their faces, try this to make them laugh and help them get more comfortable!