Life moves so fast and it’s important to capture your friends laughing at that hilarious joke, an impromptu hug, or a random silly game you played with your little ones. Angie Ramirez, of the Little Inspiration blog, shares tips to photograph those precious moments.

Over the past few years I have really grown to love photography and it all started when I taught myself the basic functions of how to operate my camera. One of my New Year’s resolutions involves taking more pictures of my kids while they are still young. Kids grow so fast and I love looking back at all the images that I have taken of them, but sometimes I wish I had more photographs and even videos of when they were babies. That first year of life goes by so fast, so remember to take as many photos and videos of your little ones as you can!

My kids and husband are my most favorite people in the world and when I’m older, I want to remember everyday moments of our past. I want to be able to go through the photographs and look back on the time Aires rode her bike without help or Junis taking his very first steps.

Here are a few tips and tricks to help you capture the best moments with your family.

• Natural lighting is the best for taking photos. Cloudy days are even better for photos; the clouds are like a light diffuser that makes every photo amazing.
• Capture the everyday, messy moments and even the little accomplishments. Have your camera ready all the time and have an extra battery just in case you forgot to charge it.
• Use your cellphone for quick moments that you don’t want to miss. I have a few tips on phone photography here.
• Kids don’t always have to look straight at the camera. I love those captures where the kids are just being themselves and doing their own thing like playing with their toys, reading a book on their own, watching their favorite movie, or while they are taking a nap.
• Don’t forget to get in the picture too! Use the self-timer to help you capture those moments while you are playing with the kids or want to take a photo with them.

My favorite moments to photograph are those where I take the kids to their favorite places, such as the park, the beach, or even the amusement park. They are happy when they are sliding, swinging and meeting other kids. It makes me smile and excited to know that I have two kids that love the outdoors, love meeting other kids and love to play with each other. I take out my camera and I snap all those little moments.

One moment that made me teary was when Aries met one of her favorite cartoon characters this past year at a theme park. When it was our turn she closed her eyes and hugged him for a long time; she didn’t want to let go. I was glad to have that moment captured so her and I can look back and cherish that together when she is older.

I don’t have many photos of myself with the kids and with my husband, so but this year I’m determined to take more photos of us all together. I’m also hoping to have more date nights with my husband and photograph us together while we enjoy our moments without the kids so I can remember those special times we have together.

Life moves fast and sometimes I feel like I don’t have enough time to capture all the moments with my kids and husband. Of course, I try to photograph as much as possible but I have to remember that I’m also part of their lives and occasionally I need to put down the camera and savor the moments that we have all together.

What is one of the best everyday moments with your family that you captured in a photo? Share on Facebook using #SavorItAll.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Hidden Valley® Ranch. We are partnering with the makers of Hidden Valley^{® Ranch in celebration of family mealtimes while savoring it all: the little, big and sometimes chaotic moments of everyday life.}

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