This article was written by one of our regular blog contributors, a father of two and photography enthusiast.
Kids grow up quickly. One day theyre wearing a dribble bib, and the next theyre off to college. It all happens in the blink of an eye; my children are 2 and 4 years old (although seeing the mess all over Susys highchair isnt what I would describe as angelic). I remember my first video of them being held by Mum in the hospital, their first walk like it was yesterday. Time really does go by very quickly.
I love taking pictures, and for me its very important to capture the moments that remind us why we get up in the middle of the night to administer some timely TLC, or why weve all but stopped going to the cinema, and why we now only go out with friends once in a blue moon. But I dont just want to capture the good times, I want to remember it all.
Like many parents, I need a camera that can help me capture their first walk, or that one time they score the winning goal. A lot of people will recommend a brand, or a specific camera that was touted as the most advanced photo machine the world has ever seen.
Im not here to recommend one brand or another, nor to deny you the pleasure of buying the worlds most advanced camera. Im here to share with you the camera feature that has been most helpful in capturing wonderful everyday moments with my kids.
Low light performer What does this mean? A lot of the pictures and videos youll shoot will be indoors. Birthday parties, achievements in the kitchen, play dates with friends. If you dont have the right camera setup, youll either end up taking pictures with lots of flash, or getting frustrated while you wait for your camera to focus on your subject. Of course kids move around quickly, often sporadically, so you want a camera that can capture spontaneous quick action.
There are two things you need: one, a camera that can take many pictures very quickly, and two, a lens that lets in lots of light. Thing is, you might have taken 50 shots of Tommy, but in every picture his face is blurry. Why does this happen you ask? Its because the sensor in your camera cant see enough light to understand what its supposed to focus on.
If you own a point and shoot camera, you want to keep the lens as wide open as possible (not zoomed in). If you have a camera where you can change the lens, youre most likely using the kit lens that came with the camera. Thats OK, but again, be sure and use the widest view possible.
Lets say you want to invest in a lens to better handle low light, then always go for a prime lens. These lenses tend to be wide open and let in the most light. 50mm is usually the cheapest prime lens you can buy. That just means a lens that doesnt zoom. A lens like that, combined with a high burst of pictures is far more likely to get you at least a couple of keepers for your photo album.
There are many essential features on a camera, but when you have kids being able to capture that spur of the moment shot is probably the most important. Dont be shy, take your camera wherever you go you never know when youll find yourself sharing those special moments with your family.
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