simple and easy ways to get more pictures of your children

I hope that you all had an incredibly fun Halloween! I sure did! 

I loved taking Patrick trick-or-treating and he even scored two full size candy bars.

I thought that I would share a few tips to make taking pictures of your kids a little easier. We all love capturing those special moments, the fun times, and first times. With the holidays right around the corner, we will have lots of great photo opportunities. 

I don't know about you, but I always seem to be busy getting ready and run out of time or in such a hurry that I have no time to take a few pictures. I always think that I'll get a few right before or right after but it never happens. So for hallo ween, I knew it would be hectic the day of so I decided to take photos the day before. We were in no rush and I was able to really spend time getting good pictures. It is crazy how much you can do with a little preparation.

You want to capture all of the little things and all the details. Your children don't have to be looking at the camera for a good picture. It is also so important to make things fun. If you are too stressed out because they wont stand still or they wont smile, then you will never get a good photo. After all, you don't want your kids to hate being in front of the camera, you want them to love it! Capturing all the faces that your kids make can be pretty funny and shows off their personality.

I have found that if I let Patrick do what he wants, he is more willing to be happy and smile. When we were taking these photos, all he wanted to do was sit down. I kept asking to stand up, so that I can see his whole outfit. I wanted the perfect picture but Patrick knew best. After I stopped pestering him about standing up, I stepped back and snapped a few of him sitting down. These turned out to be the best ones! He wouldn't stop laughing and smiling.

With carrying a diaper bag and Patrick,  I just don't have enough room to carry my big dslr camera. I only have my phone. But it is not always about getting professional looking photos, it is about saving and capturing memories, right? Here are a few photos from yesterday that we took using my phone.  

Someone told me that having a bad photo is better then having no photo. I have come to find that very true. Even though this picture is extremely blurry, I will always remember how much fun it was taking Patrick to his first trunk-or-treat activity!