Mother and Photographer Elena Shumilova Shares Tips on Photographing Your Kids

The Russian photographer and mother, Elena Shumilova, is making a big splash again by sharing some great photo advice. In early 2014, her whimsical photos of her children went viral and inspired parents and photographers all around the world. For the first time since she her images exploded on the scene, she allowed cameras into her home and gives some great tips for others to capture images of their children.

I was first introduced to Shumilova's work when we were both featured in "Digital SLR Photography" magazine as the "Cutting Edge" features of the May 2014 issue. I was blown away by the power her imagery possessed. Oftentimes, child photography comes off very posed, and for lack of a better word, cheesy. Shumilova's images, however, feel as though they were plucked out of a fairytale or a dream. They feel so natural and worry free. And let's face it, her images are beautiful.

In the video, as well as her blog post, she gives us some great tips on capturing images of our own children, or in my case, future children. She covers how to pose them naturally, what clothing they should wear, how to work with kids and animals, and more. It's always a treat when an artist with such an amazing style is willing to share their tips and secrets. 

Shumilova also now has a new baby boy, her third son, so I expect that we will be seeing even more of her amazing work in the future.

I would love to see photos of your children using some of Shumilova's advice in the comments below. And to all you beautiful, amazing moms out there: Happy Mother's Day!

Images used with permission.

Brandon Cawood's picture

Brandon Cawood is an internationally recognized and published photographer known for his highly detailed composite photography and retouching work. He has a distinctive style that sets his images apart and offers a branding solution to set his clients to distinguishing their identity. He also has a background in video production and editing.

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3 Comments

She is awesome, I love her work and the tips are amazingly common sense, back to basics stuff. Thank you for sharing this article!

I really love taking photos of kids. You have a good works here. I admire it.

You have a good works here. I admire it.

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