I know not everyone agrees with me, but I've always enjoyed throwing birthday parties for my children.  They've run the gamut between elaborately themed parties that I've worked on for months, and more simple ones, and I've enjoyed them all.  This 10th birthday party of Kayla's was one of the simple ones. We rented a room at Above All in Franklin.  Kayla actually wanted a S'mores Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory as her birthday cake.  The mommy's at the party thought her selection was perfect, but as expected, not all the children agreed.  Good thing we also bought a cookie cake for her friends. 

Whether it's a simple party or an elaborate one, it's important to capture those memories in photographs so we can enjoy them for years to come.  Here are 10 tips for photographing your own child's birthday party.

1.  Consider hiring a professional photographer to capture the event.  This will allow you to enjoy the party without having to worry about capturing pictures.  Plus an experienced photographer will be able to capture moments that you will treasure for a lifetime. If you don’t have the budget for a professional, consider designating a close friend or family member as the event photographer so you can focus on your guests.

2. If it’s a surprise party, be sure to have guests in location ahead of time so that you can capture some photos of them waiting on the guest of honor.  Make sure you know when and where the birthday child will enter the party location so you can capture that first moment of surprise. If there is a performer or entertainer, be sure to be in a position to capture the children’s reactions when they arrive or perform. 

3. Remember to capture little details of the party decor and food.  It’s likely you spent lots of time and Pinterest research on all of these little detail so don’t forget to capture them. Some of this can be done before the party begins. (I didn't spend any time researching this Cheesecake, but I'm glad I have a photo of it anyway. LOL) 10 Tips for Photographing your child's birthday Party - Cake

4. Don’t photograph little kids from your grown-up height…get down to their eye level for better images. This isn't too hard when you are short like me.  

5. But also, think of unique perspectives that will allow for interesting ways to photograph the party. Getting up high or down low can make some fun images. 10 Tips for Photographing your child's birthday Party - Capturing the Fun

6. Make a rule that no one gets cupcakes or cake until you get a group photograph. This is a great way to encourage everyone’s prompt participation.  You will love having a picture of all your child’s guests in one shot. 10 Tips for Photographing your child's birthday Party - Group Photo

7. Put some thought into where the birthday child will sit for special moments like blowing out the candles.  Think about which seat has the best lighting (light coming in through a window is beautiful).  Also, think about where the person taking the pictures will sit or stand so as to be able to get pictures of the birthday girl without being blocked by other photo guests.

8. If you have a numbered candle, make sure it is facing the photographer and not the child.  This may seem picky, but it’s great to have the number readable in the image - especially years from now when the grown child may not remember how old he/she was in the photographs. We didn't have any numbered candles for Kayla's S'mores cake, so that wasn't a concern at this party, but all my friends know I want the number facing me. I've taught them well. LOL

9. Be sure to get a few family pictures.  Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the party and forget, but you will appreciate having these milestone pictures of your family each year. If the party is not a surprise, its a good idea to get these family pictures a few minutes before guests start to arrive.  Apparently, I didn't follow my own rule here, so big photographer fail. For some reason, I find that harder to remember to do when we are at a place for the party with a scheduled time, and not at home. So I will have to work on that for next time. 

10. Get into the middle of the action and keep your eyes open for authentic moments.  The focus is obviously the guest of honor, but don’t forget to capture reactions from party guests and family members as well.

So that's it...a few simple tips and you are ready to photograph your child's birthday party. But if you'd rather leave the photos to a professional, contact me today to schedule an event session for your party.