How to Photograph Children
Family photo sessions are a gorgeous way to capture a moment in time and celebrate life’s milestones. For some of my clients, I have been the person taking photos of their little ones from before they were born. As a mom myself, I recognize the importance of having pictures of these moments, but I also know how tough it can be to get those kiddos to sit still long enough to get them.
Candid Moments
Getting kids to pose can be tough. We all know that too-fake ‘cheese’ smile that little ones will put on when they are being forced in front of a camera. Instead of asking them to sit still, follow them around with your camera to capture more candid and natural moments. Your pictures will turn out more natural, and the parents will find the images more relatable since you will be able to capture the child’s more relaxed self.
Get To Their Level
If you have not been practicing your squat, this is the time. Getting eye-level with kids or even lying down on the ground will change up your angle and make you seem more approachable to kids. Consider holding your camera slightly away from your face so that the children can see you and feel comfortable, not just see the large camera blocking a person.
Keep Taking Photos
You can narrow down your options later, but you never know which shot will be the right one. With the amount of movement and facial expressions that children can make in a minute, it is important to just keep snapping photos.
Have a Helper
Depending on the goal of the session, I love to get parents involved both in front of and behind the camera. Other people who are part of the shoot can either participate in engaging the children in the frame or standing behind you to get the little ones to look your way. It can be tough to capture both the moment and be running after kids, so having an extra set of hands is always helpful (even if the kids are your own- call a friend!).
Having mom or dad start a tickle fight is also an excellent way to get some genuine laughs.
Get Props
To showcase a child’s personality and interests, you can ask parents to bring some props. A prop could be a costume they love or their favorite toy. This will help them feel more relaxed and give you something to talk to them about during the session.
Additionally, you can come prepped with some cute (and aesthetic) props like a crown, cape, or cute toy.
Encourage Their Energy
Sitting around for an hour-long photo session will feel like a major-timeout and might not result in the photos you were hoping to get. Create an enjoyable environment and encourage your kids to run around, play, jump, and have fun.
If there are multiple kids in the session, ask them to have a race or get creative. When I am doing sessions on the beach, I love to tell kids to build something out of sand or dip their toes in the water (I tend to wait until the end of the session in case clothes get a little wet).
