Children and pets are notoriously difficult to take photos of, due to the fact they have such a short attention span and they move – a lot.

However, with a Nokia Lumia and Nokia Camera to hand, you’re armed with the best equipment possible to grab the perfect shot. And here’s how:

Be patient

If you’re used to taking photos of amazing landscapes, you’ll need to totally rethink how you take a photo of your young ones or your pet. Don’t expect to simply press the button to get a blur-free photo. It’s very unlikely to happen first time. Instead, allow for extra time and expect to take more photos than you usually do.

The Smart mode in Nokia Camera captures a sequence of photos that might be useful for fidgety kids.

Prepare prop-erly

When taking a photo of your child, you might need to take some props to get his or her attention – depending on their age.

If your child is easily distracted by absolutely anything (oh look a squirrel), make sure you can regain their attention. Take some toys, a favourite teddy bear, or even just a jangling bunch of keys.

Make some noise, but don’t yell, and give a big smile when they look back at you. Once you’ve got their attention again, try to keep it by waving the props around a little and talking cheerily. Hopefully they’ll crack a smile and click; you’ve taken the shot.

Taking photos of your pets can be trickier. While giving your dog a favourite chew toy might be a great way of keeping them still, they’ll only just sit there and chew it – which doesn’t make a particularly good photo.

Depending on how you want the final shot to look, there are some props you can you can use.

For a serene outcome, your dog’s or cat’s bed can be the perfect place. Once they’re comfortable, you’ll almost certainly be able to take a nice, peaceful photo.

For action shots, playing fetch with a ball or Frisbee can be just what you need. Get someone else to throw the item and capture the whole interaction.

Set the scene

Imagine being a child. Would you like to be sat on a seat in the middle of a sparse, cold, grey-looking room while someone points a camera phone at your face? The answer is almost certainly no. It’s always better to take a photo of your child in a natural environment. At home is probably the best location, but in a park or at a play centre will work, too.

Remember, if they feel comfortable you’ll have less work to do.

While kids will respond better to a colourful cheerful environment, your pet isn’t so fussy – especially considering that dogs are colour blind. However, an empty grey room won’t look great in your finished photo, either.

Moving target?

What outcome do you want? Do you want your kid to be sat smiling at the camera? Then the default settings on your Lumia will probably do the job. However, if you want to take a photo of them running about or playing, it’s best to take manual control over the Nokia Camera settings.

This is especially good when trying to capture your pet in action. Think jumping dog trying to catch a ball, or cat leaping from a couch.

By changing the shutter speed time to 1/1000 (or below), you’ll be able to freeze their movement and take a sharp photo. Sometimes, including the flash can help here, but remember that you don’t want to fire a flash at your child or pet for too long; it could damage their eyes.

Additionally, Smart mode in Nokia Camera will work really well here. You can capture a series of shots of your pet leaping into the air and use the Action Shot feature for a dramatic effect.

Have fun

Ultimately, you want to have a good time. If your child isn’t having fun, they just won’t comply and you’ll probably take a dozen different expressions that all scream ‘get me out of here’. Plus, kids nowadays love to see how they look on camera, so show them the photos on your Lumia as you go and make them feel a part of the process.

Most of the same can be said for your pets, too. Don’t just expect them to perform; you’ll need to make it fun for them. Unlike children, they have no idea what you’re trying to achieve.

Nokia Camera currently runs on Nokia Lumia PureView smartphones with the Lumia Amber update, such as the Nokia Lumia 920, 925, 928 and Lumia 1020.

Photos in this article are not taken with a Nokia Lumia.

Image credit: theilr, Angelo Amboldi, J L, Randen Pederson