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The following post is from Krystal of Krystal Griffin Photography:

There it is!  One of life’s sweetest moments!  But why didn’t you get a photo of it?  There are lots of answers to that question, and they are often problems that have a simple solution.  All you need is a little forethought.

Here are four tips for being prepared to catch those fleeting moments.

1. Organize and refresh your camera equipment.

There is nothing worse than pulling out the camera only to see a dead screen or the words “no memory.”   It happens to the best of us, but a good routine should help prevent it.  Start with locating all your batteries, chargers, cables, and memory cards.  Whether you use a Nikon D5300 with a zoom lens or you have a Canon Rebel with a couple of prime lenses, make sure that you also know where these pieces of gear are. Canon RF lenses are also extremely popular right now and would make a great addition to your camera. Make one location in your home for all of these things.  It can be as simple as a small shoebox in your desk drawer or a basket on a bookshelf.  What’s important is that it is all in one place so that you always know where it goes and you can always find what you need in a hurry.  Now that you know where your equipment is, you can begin a routine that keeps your batteries fresh and your memory card free.  You could check them every Friday before your weekend activities or each time you are finished with the camera.  My routine usually goes along with my “just walked in the door” routine.

2.  Leave that camera out.

I have four kids, and by the time I made it to toddler number two, I realized those cute moments would not wait for me to rummage in a diaper bag for the camera.  They also wouldn’t wait for me to take it out of a bag with clips and Velcro.  Pull that camera out of your purse, diaper bag, or wherever you might stash it.  If it’s in a case, take it out and find a place where little fingers can’t get to it, but you can grab it quickly.  My spot is a bookshelf in our main living area that has a place cleared just to leave the camera.    You would be surprised by the number of moments you will capture when the camera is handy.

3. Get the safe shot first.

Before you look for the perfect shot or even the nicer shot, just take the safe one first.  Any picture is better than no picture at all.  Here is an example.  While visiting my sister, my 8-year-old reluctant reader decided to pull his 22-month-old cousin onto his lap for a story.  Once I realized what was going on, I quickly reached for my camera (It was still packed!  I should have taken my own advice and gotten it out earlier).   I snapped a photo with little thought to the details, and in the end, it was the best I could get.  There are many things I would change about that first snapshot, but again- any picture is better than no picture at all.

4. Consider what you want from your photos.

It’s just about the time I think “I never want to forget_______” that I know I need to take a picture of it.  Spend a little time thinking about the things you never want to forget (the way my son pointed to his “tat-too”), and you’ll suddenly have a nice list of moments to capture.  The other side to that thought is thinking about the photos you already value.  That includes the photos you have taken, the ones you love from your past, and photos from your family history.  When you look at these images, take note of the ones you value and why.   It will be a great insight to help you recognize a moment when you see it. Create a photo book to save your photos, whether printed copies or digital. Consider using different angles to make your photos interesting. Keep memories alive.

What moments have you captured because you were prepared? Which ones have you missed?