How To Photograph Kids: 4 Tips For Stunning Kids Portraits
One of the great joys of being a family photographer is capturing moments that families will cherish for a lifetime.
As a mother, I know how quickly our children grow up. To be able to take a moment to document various stages in a child’s life to look back on is such a gift.
Beings I photograph a lot of kids, I am often asked…
“How do we do a photo shoot with a child?”
“When is the best time of day for the child?”
“What if the child doesn’t cooperate?”
These are all valid questions. Let me help.
How To Photograph Kids:
4 Tips For Stunning Kids Portraits
Photographing children can be challenging, the younger the child is, the more challenging it gets. Here are some quick tips that I have learned over the years that tend to make family photo shoots a little easier.
Be Patient and Calm.
There is no rush in a photoshoot. Even if it is a short mini-session, treat it as if we have all the time in the world.
If the child feels rushed, it will stress them out and you may not get as good of results as you would hope to. Being calm is also key.
I know that is so easy to say and not necessarily easy to do, but hear me out: if you want pictures of a happy family, then be happy and calm. It will translate into the pictures as well as all of the members of your family.
If the adults in the group stay calm, the children will notice that and follow suit.
Plan Ahead.
When I say plan ahead, I don’t always mean the time of the photoshoot (that is important and we will talk about that shortly!) but I also mean small details.
Planning ahead also means, bringing snacks, a change of clothes, and lots of patience.
Over the years, I have found that the cliche saying “expect the unexpected” is pretty accurate when it comes to photographing children. It is good to plan worst-case scenarios: potty accidents, mud, and meltdowns.
I expect all of these things when I photograph families with children and try to plan ahead also.
Allow for Extra Time.
It is important to allow extra time when children are involved.
Sometimes the camera scares younger kids because they aren’t used to being photographed. I try my best to make everyone feel comfortable, but sometimes in these situations, it’s stressful so we may need to allow the child to get comfortable with me and the camera.
I don’t take it personally. Again, I am a mother so I completely understand!
It is important to allow for time after the photo shoot for the children to play. Sitting for 30 minutes to an hour is a lot, let the children run and play afterward.
Timing.
When planning the time of day to do the photoshoot here are some things to keep in mind:
Don’t plan a photoshoot during the child’s scheduled nap time.
Don’t plan a photoshoot right before bedtime.
Plan a photoshoot when the child normally has playtime.
I hope that this helps when planning a family photo shoot with children.One thing that I will remind every family: it is okay!
As a mother, I understand the unexpected moments that come with children. I will be patient and understanding no matter what unexpected moment might happen.
Trust me, in my years of experience, there’s not much I haven’t experienced already!
