Have you ever been on a family vacation and wanted cute pictures for Instagram, but your only chance at getting a photo was to have your parents take it? Was the photo backlit with the top of your head cut off? Or was it taken at a super unflattering angle? Here’s how to train your parents to capture better pics and not dread handing them your phone.
Plan Beforehand
Getting great pics is an art and some of the most important aspects of getting the shot to happen before you get your hands on a camera. This means making sure you have a few go-to poses ready because there is no chance the pictures will look good if you’re awkwardly moving around.
Family vacations can strain relationships. From long car rides to cramped planes to hot weather, trips are the ideal breeding ground for family drama. Whether your family has a strict itinerary or is a little too Type B, be mindful of everyone’s time and plan ahead. If there are certain landmarks you want to get a picture with, let your parents know in advance. If you know you’re going to wear something cute, give them a heads-up that you’ll want pics. Telling them that you want a picture in the moment could cause them to rush if they weren’t prepared to spend extra time in a certain area.
Camera Settings Made Easy
If you’re using your phone for pictures, there are a few simple settings that can drastically change the look of the photos. Although keeping live photos on takes up more storage, if your photographer is inexperienced, you’re going to want every angle possible to find the “right” one. Speaking of angles, tell them to keep the phone straight. While it does look better to have different angles, if your parents are truly beginners, this is the most reliable way to get decent pics.
Let them know that they don’t need to touch the settings once you hand them the phone except for the exposure. Although they’re probably going to be stubborn about it, tell them that portrait mode is in prison. Parents love to use portrait mode because they think it looks fancy, but it looks really strange if they don’t know what they’re doing. Even if they use it correctly, it just doesn’t look very candid and fun. Another thing they might do is try to zoom in on your face. Zooming in or out can distort the way your face looks and lead to some truly unflattering pics. Tell them that you can crop the photo later if you like, but zooming in or out is a no-go.
When you finally hand them the phone, teach them how to lower the exposure. Tell them to just tap on the sky and drag the little yellow sundown a little. Most of the time, if you’re outdoors on a sunny day, you’ll want the exposure down so that the details can be seen more clearly.
If you have a digital camera, you’re in luck! Parents tend to do better with point-and-shoot cameras, but there’s always room for improvement. For starters, keep the settings simple. Unless you or your parents are a professional photographer (why are you here?), using the default settings will get the most reliable results. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know how to use the settings. At the very least, you should know how to turn on and turn off the flash for unpredictable lighting. Make sure that you change the settings and hand it to them so that it saves time.
Create a Reference Photo of Your Parents
The easiest way to show your parents what you’re looking for is to take a picture of them framed exactly how you would like your photos to look. Showing them a pic on Pinterest beforehand could also be a good idea, not only will the photos direct them to take the photo exactly how you want, but you’ll also have pictures of your parents to look back on. If your family doesn’t take pictures often or doesn’t like having their picture taken, this is a sneaky way to capture some memories.
Manage Your Expectations
Seeing the first few photos can be quite the reality check, so make sure to take a break after the first few pics to give them some feedback. It’s going to take some time, so don’t expect your parents to be pros, but keep encouraging them to improve. The most important thing is to have memories with your family to look back on, but hopefully, these tips will help your parents take pictures you can be proud of.
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