Obviously I believe professional family photographs are an important way of ensuring you’re in the photographs (and that you look and feel great doing it). But I also know there are 364 other days of opportunity each year for you to be in the photograph.

One of the best ways to do that? Selfies.

I need to get over myself a bit when it comes to selfies. Somehow for me that word always conjures up images of a girl out on the town mugging for the camera in front of a mirror in the ladies room. Silly really, because some of my favourite images of me with my littles are selfies.

The best thing about selfies is that you can do them anytime and anywhere. On a day when my youngest is home with me, I can set the camera up on the ottoman while we play Barbies and Zingo Bingo on the floor and click the button on the remote every now and then. Or when my oldest and I are a little early picking my youngest up from daycare, we can grab the chance to take a photo of the two of us.

And while we all love the beautiful smiling faces photographs, think about a selfie that really reflects you and your littles. Are you feeling silly or does snuggly describe you guys better today? Dance party in the living room? Snap away. You don’t always need to be looking right at the camera.

A Few Different Ways to Take Selfies

1. Hold your iphone at arms length. Probably the easiest way, simply hold your camera at arms length and fire away. This can be a little tricky with more than one little but it just means you get to squeeze a little closer. To avoid the dreaded double chin, make sure you’re not pulling your chin back in order to get more of you in the photo and try holding your phone slightly above eye level.

2. Hand over your camera or phone. Handing over your phone to your hubby or friend is a simple and oft over-looked way to be in your own photographs. Use your family and friends, and then return the favour.

3. Use a timer, whether on your ‘big camera’ or on your phone. On my phone I use the timer in ProCamera. It’s easy to use, has a nice long countdown and comes with lots of other features that you can play around with. I look for a flat surface around chest height and prop my phone up with books, a tissue box or, if we’re out, my purse. You want to be a little careful not to angle your phone upwards as this isn’t generally flattering to most people.

The best part of using a timer app or handing over your phone is that it also frees up your arms so you can really show your littles some love.

4. Try a remote. You’d be surprised by how inexpensive a remote can be.  I don’t have one for my iphone (yet) but I do have one for my pro camera. I don’t ever use it for client sessions but it is our go-to for selfies. Added bonus? The kids love pressing the button.

Regardless of which method you use, snap away more than once. Inevitably someone will have their eyes closed or tongue sticking out – hopefully your littles and not you – so it’s nice to have a few different shots to choose from.

This doesn’t need to apply just to you and your littles. Why not take the opportunity for another photograph of the two of you as a couple? Either wait until the littles are in bed and snap away – G-rated, of course – or get your littles in on the action and get them to press the button.

This image from a couple years ago is one of my favourites of the two of us. I set up the tripod on the trail behind our house and let our littles go to town with the remote while the two of us cuddled.

Do you take a lot of selfies? Try one of you and your littles (or you and your hubby) this week; and if you feel like sharing, come by and post your selfie on the facebook page. I’d love to see it!