As a parent of a sports-mad child you’ll almost certainly have a camera or phone at the ready for the big events; the cup games, the stride to the wicket, the winning try or the finishing line sprint are memories that can only be enhanced by photographic evidence of the great event itself. Here are some tips on capturing those special moments of sporty children:

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Getting the perfect snap and presenting it in the best way possible is a case of skill and practice, plus the right technology!

Tips on Capturing Those Special Moments of Sporty Children

Taking Team Photos

For team photographs, take as many as you can before they lose interest, as you’ll almost certainly encounter shuffling, head movement, blinking, eyes closed etc during the shoot. Here are some tips:

• Instead of “Say Cheese”, I find that saying “Say Underpants” makes the kids take notice and smile more.
• Make sure the light angle is not facing you as you take the photo or their faces will be obscured.
• Try to have a contrasting background so their team strips stand out nicely.

Some teams/clubs have a no-photo policy so make sure to ask them or the permission of other parents if intending to share any photos publicly.

You might also enjoy reading: How to Raise a Good Team Player

Make sure your phone is charged and that you have plenty of picture space

For most occasions, a smartphone will be sufficient for grabbing some photos of your child in action. It sounds obvious but make sure your phone is charged before you head off.

Regularly download your pictures onto your desktop PC/mac so you have enough space for multiple photographs and video, or at least upload them to the cloud so that you know you have plenty of picture space on your device before you head off to events.

There’s nothing worse than having to hurriedly delete photographs as your child strides up to take a crucial penalty or is near the finish line!

You might also enjoy reading: 21 Reasons You Know You’re Mom to a Sporty Child

Consider a better camera than your phone

One issue with mobile phones is the lack of adaptability and technology inside a mobile phone lens means that anything that involves motion can be blurred. In addition, a mobile phone uses a digital zoom rather than an optical lens, meaning that it isn’t actually zooming – it’s simply making the pixels bigger and the picture bigger and probably more blurred.

There is only really one way to capture your child’s sporting prowess during the game properly, and that is to use a bridge or DSLR camera with a good zoom.

If you do go the camera route, then practice taking pictures as they play around at home, or just generally taking photographs of movement such as running to get better before big events.

And if you manage to capture that One Great Picture…

If you have managed to capture that one really great picture of your child in action, then there are some great options for presentation and display.

• The giant resolution of photography nowadays allows a good photograph to be blown up to giant size, for e.g. a poster, canvas or wall print.
• As well as a big pic for the wall, a smaller version on a calendar or cup can be a permanent reminder at home or work of your child’s sporting moments, or make a nice gift for grandparents.
• Or why not put together a photo book which details your child’s progression from young, unsteady trier to a more confident player who enjoys their sport several years later for a special occasion or birthday?

You might also enjoy reading: 5 Money Saving Tips to Reduce the Cost of Kids Sports

Over to you now. Any tips to share about taking good photos of kids in action? Tell us in the comments below.