Let me start off by saying I am not an expert. When I read articles written by experts, I am a little intimidated no matter what the subject matter is. So, I am no expert. I make tons of mistakes with my photography, and when people tell me my photos are amazing, yeah, well, I only show the good stuff.

I have learned by making those mistakes and I hope these tips help you.

Say cheese!

Nothing scares me more than having a camera pointed at me and being told to smile. Yeah. How "bout no?

So how do I get the grandchildren to let me take their photos without it turning into a battle? I let them see the screen so they can see what I am doing.

Pressing the button is always a fun way to make the camera less scary. Of course, I insist on keeping a good grip on my camera. I am not crazy enough to hand my camera over to my grandson.

No one can make a child do what they don’t want to do. And honestly, being told to sit a certain way or hold a pose is the most unnatural thing in the world for a child so it’s no wonder those magical moments hardly ever happen.

Instead, a trip to the park or zoo or backyard lets them be kids. Just be ready to capture those moments with the camera as they play.

Focus on the eyes

One thing that is a must when photographing people is get those eyes in focus! Or, if it is a side-view be sure to focus on the eye closest to you. Eyes in a photo attract the viewer’s eye and make the difference between snapshot and a photograph.

When taking a photo of more than just one child, have them look at each other rather than insisting they look at the camera and smile.

My grandson has gotten into the habit of saying “cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze” and squishing his cheeks up as far as possible into his eyeballs whenever the camera is pointed at him. This is never the image I am going for.

So instead, I just wait for those moments when he is smiling without coercing.

Sometimes while photographing my grandchildren they will turn from me to run or play and I take advantage of that. Some of my favorite photographs are of them facing away from me and capturing whatever they are watching.

Once, I spent a frustrating 10 minutes trying to capture a photo of my granddaughter as we both were on the carpet facing each other. Each time I raised the big black thing to my face she looked puzzled and the sweet smile I saw disappeared.

It took some practice, but getting used to shooting with the camera lower than my face allowed me to capture that image I was looking for.

Get down

Years ago, when I was going to school to become a teacher, my mentor told me to get down to eye level when interacting with children.

This advice works when photographing children, too. Your photos will gain more interest if you do this. And honestly, getting down and lying in the grass or crisp fall leaves is actually fun if you stop worrying about what the neighbors will say. But, also challenge yourself to photograph from above. This is a great way to get some interesting and fun shots.

To me the most interesting images are ones that are from a vantage point that most people don’t normally think about.

Find your light

Finding good light and flattering light means shooting in the early morning hours and later in the day when the sun is not directly overhead.

Direct sun is the harshest light and casts shadows. If this is the only light you have to work with, try turning on the flash. I know it seems odd to use a flash on a bright day, but it really does help illuminate your subject and get rid of those shadows.

For the longest time, I never shot photos on overcast days, thinking conditions would make for drab photos. I now know that that is not the case, and the diffused lighting creates some wonderful images.

Don’t be afraid to crop

Don’t be afraid to crop your images. At first it feels strange to crop a photograph, but this allows you to fill the frame with more of what matters. This is especially true when photographing children.

There are plenty of guides online to help you learn where to crop and how much. It takes some getting used to, but the great thing is if you don’t like the crop, you can always revert to your original image.

My grandson asked me once why I was photographing his toes while he laid on the couch watching television, and of course I was honest; because they are cute.

Look at the little details

Don’t be afraid to capture that image of a toe or a baby’s hand wrapped around a finger.

My boss calls me an “in your face” photographer. I fill the frame with my subject no matter what it is. I will get on top of a flower or water droplet, but that is not going to work for my grandchildren, so my zoom lens is perfect for getting that tight shot without being a distraction.

The best tip I can give you is always be ready ­­— kids are quick and they don’t wait. Don’t let that stop you from trying.

Jeannie Carl is the president of the Palmerton Camera Club. For more information on joining the camera club and learning more about what the club has to offer, contact Jeannie at naturalist_eec@yahoo.com or just stop in at one of the meetings. The clubs website is www.palmertoncameraclub.com.