Photographer's Children Go Unprinted. Or Something. {Sponsored} - Cheaper Than Therapy Cheaper Than Therapy

They say that shoemaker’s children go barefoot, right?

Well, the same goes for photographer’s children — they go unprinted.

As a mom, a blogger, a photographer, a smartphone carrier, I am constantly snapping photos of the important (and not so important) moments. Just last week I photographed my 10-year-old crossing something off of her bucket list — she got to feed a giraffe. (The next item on her list is meeting Taylor Swift) Pretty monumental. But I also snapped a photo of her at the eye doctor. We weren’t doing anything out of the ordinary, we were just obnoxiously early, as I’m apt to be.

All of these things — the bucket-list worthy ones, the completely 100% ordinary ones — are things I want to document, that I want to remember. And seriously, how lucky are we that we constantly have our cameras ON us at every moment. I guarantee you my mother doesn’t have a single photo of me at the eye doctor, because in the 80s her phone was attached to the wall in the kitchen and her camera was a giant polaroid that only went with us on vacations or to recitals.

And speaking of my poor mother, I saw her last week and after giving me a hug, she said the two things she always says to me. Thing #1: You need a haircut and thing #2: WHERE ARE MY PICTURES? Because she knows. I’m all talk. I am a photographer, yes, but I never print any photos. I share pictures on Instagram and Twitter and Facebook. But my walls and my coffee tables are completely bare. And so are hers.

But that’s going to change. Now. We need to print our pictures.

And Kodak Alaris and Henry’s are making PRINTING FOR NON-PRINTERS easy. With the KODAK MOMENTS app (which I hope you’ve downloaded — if not, go! Download it right now!) you can actually edit, print, and share your photos STRAIGHT FROM YOUR PHONE. Seriously, this could not be easier. You can make photo gifts for (a belated) Mother’s Day (I know my mother will be happy!) or for the upcoming Father’s Day.

You can make sure those important moments — and not-so-important moments — get printed, gifted, and preserved, instead of living out their lives digitally on your smartphone.

That photo up there that I took of my three kids on the swing?

I took it with my iPhone — and it’s currently one of my favourite photos of them. Yes, I do have a big old (heavy!) camera and good lenses and external flashes and lots of gear and equipment. But guess what? I love taking pictures with my iPhone.

It really *is* true that the best camera is the one you have with you.

Here are some of my favourite tips for better smartphone photography.

1. Look At Your Light.

Most people think that sunshine is best for photos. No. While sunshine might be best for the soul, your iPhone camera doesn’t quite like it as much and will leave you with squinty eyes and unwanted shadows. Look for the shade. And enjoy the heck out of those overcast days.

2. Look At Your Lines and Angles.

Get high, get low. Play around with perspective.

3. Zoom With Your Feet, Not With Your Camera.

The zoom on the iPhone is the quickest way to ruin your photos. Because it has a digital zoom instead of an optical zoom, it simply embiggens your pixels and destroys all of your photo’s details.

4. Use The Rule Of Thirds. (Then Allow Yourself To Break The Rule Of Thirds.)

Turn on your camera’s grid — and try to put your subject somewhere other than right smack dab in the middle of the shot.

5. Use Your Smartphone Camera Like It’s A Big Old SLR Camera.

Treat your iPhone like a real camera and hold it with two hands — this will avoid camera shake and you’ll have a much better chance of having photos that are in focus and not blurry. Take your time, be steady, look at your horizon lines. Remove clutter from your shot.

Now go on, get out there! Take pics with your smartphone!

Then let the KODAK MOMENTS app help you print and preserve them forever.

And, I have this coupon for you for a free 8×10 print —now you really have no excuses.