5 Tips to Capture Your Memories on The Fourth This Year!

The Fourth of July is a day filled with family, fun and patriotism! Whether you go big and celebrate with your neighborhood, friends, host a party for lots of people or whether you go small and celebrate with just a few people; the Fourth is the perfect time to capture your family with some iconic photos and create some heirlooms you’ll cherish for years to come~!

Over the past few years, my little family has celebrated the Fourth both big and small, and I’ve found a few fun ways to capture the holiday while still being able to be present in the moment and not miss a moment of the celebrations!

Here are my 5 iconic photos to capture with your family on the Fourth!

1. DRESS THE PART & SET IT UP!

This is always one of my favorite photos because it allows the kids to be involved! Every year I would sit down with Linc and ask him what he thought would be a fun photo idea. Sometimes his ideas were crazy and we would have to work on them together to steer them in the right direction. Other times they were way more incredible than I would have dreamt up myself. The first thing I would do though is make sure we had the outfit! I usually ran out to Target because they are always ready for the Holidays and they aren’t too expensive but you can always create your own too (we’ve done tye-dye in the past). We get some fun props like sunglasses and then we just have fun! Get creative, go wild! What does the Fourth represent to you? Is it the Flag? Go grab a Flag towel or scarf and have some fun (please don’t use a real flag!). Is it popsicles and pool splashes? Let your imagination run wild and have some fun!

2. PARADE GLORY!

There is always a parade on the Fourth of July, all you have to do is find one! In our neighborhood we have a morning parade where pretty much everyone turns out to walk, bike, golf cart ride…. whatever you can move around in! Everyone and everything is all decked out in red, white and blue! We call it a “bike parade” because I truly think initially it was for the kids and man do they show up with their bikes all decorated. In fact, I think Lowes and Home Depot and Target and Hobby Lobby in our surrounding area are all probably sold out of all things patriotic. Somewhere along the line though the adults went all in as well and now it’s an all out fanfare! Golf carts are beyond your wildest dreams, Fire Trucks show up… I mean it’s incredible!

This is the perfect spot to bring a camera and capture all the posed and the candids! You won’t miss a moment of the action either because if you are in the parade, there’s a lot of waiting which is the perfect time to gather people together for photographs or just sit back and people watch and capture candids! Just remember… these are your memories from the day and nothing has to be perfect! In fact, the most imperfect photos happen to be the most precious photographs the majority of the time!

Focus on the moments that have connection and bring you joy!

3. FIREWORK PHOTOS!

This is by far the most Fourth of July you can get! Sadly, I don’t have photos of fireworks with my kiddo because he is not a fan of fireworks! Ever since I can remember he has been terrified of them and not just a little bit… he is terrified to the point of hiding under tables. Now that he is a week away from 12 he has gotten a bit better but still has no interest in attending which is just fine with us. But fireworks are a must if you have a kiddo that likes them!

If you know me… you know that I am all about finding the connection in my images. I think that’s what takes a photo from just an “image” to making it come alive and allowing you to feel something when you look at it. So if it were me this is how I would set it up…

If you are using a camera that has the capability of switching lenses, I would have a wide angle lens! If you are using your phone, you can click the .5 on your screen! I would position my kiddo and family members away from me with their faces towards the fireworks (backs to my camera). I would have them at the bottom half of my screen (and off to the corner a bit for composition). That way I can see them and have the fireworks in the sky above. There are lots of ways to technically shoot fireworks but honestly it’s the moment that matters! If you want to know more about the technical side to shooting fireworks, shoot me an e mail and I’ll be glad to help!

4. GRILLING AND BBQ

Have some fun taking photos of the day! Grab some great candids of your little ones eating a hot dog or taking a big bite of giant burger! Make sure to capture that messy face full of ketchup! Don’t miss the little moments that maybe seem ordinary but still make up the day!

Capture all the details because they are important too. Get those details like the decorations, the food, the pretty red, white and blue desserts! Gather the family for large group photos. Get those candids of the kids laughing and running and playing! The day matters and the people matter!

5. SPARKLERS

Sparklers can be a lot of fun to capture! Just because the sun goes down doesn’t mean the festivities and the fun stops! If you are using a camera that gives you the option to play with your settings, try to use a slow shutter speed to create light trails! You can have the kids write their names with sparklers or create fun shapes! You can do this on your phone too! Again, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out and e mail me!

Fourth of July is such a fun day filled with celebrations, family time, and most of all the joy of summer! With a little planning and creativity, you can capture beautiful memories of your children that you will treasure for years to come! I hope these tips help you and inspire you to get out there and freeze the moments this year! You’ll never regret the pictures you take!!!

Enjoy the day with your family, be safe and don’t forget to capture your story along the way!