Photography Tips

By Cindy Shehane

Top Ten Tips For Photographing children

 10. Shoot moments not poses:

It is to be a little more discreet and attempt to shoot moments instead of poses. Capturing the essence of what children are doing – talking, laughing, playing – often makes for much more interesting photos as well as better memories in years to come.

 9.Be Ready:

This is almost a given, but be ready for anything with kids! Expect the unexpected and be ready to shoot it.

 8.  Follow their lead

Placing a child where you want them to stand and asking them to smile nicely rarely works. Let them roam; explore their surroundings and any objects or props that might be around. There will be plenty of natural smiles, gorgeous expressions of surprise and curiosity along the way—it’s your job to catch those moments, not force them.

7. Vary your shots.

If you’ve taken a load of full-body shots, then move in a little closer and focus on their busy hands, their little feet, their angelic (most of the time) faces. Even photos where your subject isn’t facing the camera can still translate a lot of personality and body language. Move around with them and get a great choice of photos.

6.Make them feel at home.

here’s no reason why portraits need to be taken in a studio—why not shoot on location at a place that is special and meaningful to you, whether it’s your home, a favorite playground, the beach, or on holiday? Familiarity makes us all relax, and especially children, so some beautiful candid snaps can be taken when your child feels totally at ease.

5. GET DOWN ON THEIR LEVEL

A great big looming adult with a camera hiding their face can be frightening and overwhelming. Get down on your knees or crouch down to their height and you will be instantly more approachable. Photos from this perspective also look much better than ones from above, which can skew proportions and make for odd angles.

4. LET THEM GO:

Instead of trying to contain children to a specific backdrop, allow them to explore. They’ll be a thousand times more cooperative when you do try to get them to do something specific

3. Make it fun. 

Making photo shoots fun and enjoyable means that your kids will want to do it again, and again, and again… Let them get involved and take some pictures of you for a change!

2. Don’t force it.

If a child is not enjoying themselves and is getting upset, it’s time to put the camera away. Respect their privacy and their self-confidence—after all, you wouldn’t like a camera shoved in your face if you were feeling shy and vulnerable, would you?

 1.Dont Say Cheese.

 Yes, by saying the word cheese it does make their mouth turn into somewhat of a smile, but all I see in the capture is them saying cheese. Say ANYTHING but cheese is my motto. I usually ask them their favorite food. Then I add onto it with an added ingredient. “Say…. Pizza!” Then I throw in “with meatballs!” Something unexpected to help add to the humor and the novelty of NOT saying cheese.