4 tips for great children photography
TAKING GREAT TODDLERS AND CHILDREN PORTRAIT?
Who does not like having fantastic fun and wonderful photos of your children smiling at us from the wall or your side board? It makes you smile and calm down even if that very same child has just broken your favourite vase or refuses to get dressed for the last 10 minutes and is currently hiding under the table clinging on to the table leg.
And now say we are going to a park and your kid had a lovely dress on, the weather is sunny and you want to capture this moment for ever. But the minute you take your photo camera out you get a cheesy unnatural smile or a tongue out and eyes rolled at you.
Children photography is an important part of my life and I love taking photos of my kids just like any other parent and I get such a buzz when I am able to catch that raw emotion or that look right into your soul.
As a Family Photographer in London and a mum to two beautiful children I wanted to share some tips that usually help me when I take photos of toddlers and kids and create some beautiful photos:
4 TIPS FOR GREAT CHILDREN PHOTOGRAPHY
- ENGAGE THEIR IMAGINATION – even when you need a portrait to look “posed” it can be achieved through play. Do you see the difference: “Sit here, look there, put your hands nicely, sit straight, smile, put your tongue away, look happy” and “Hey why don’t you sit here, can you put your palm together and pretend there is a butterfly/ baby chick inside. What is your favourite ice-cream? (children usually have dreamy eyes at this point)”
- PLAY OVER POSING – Kids love to move and in movement you will have the most genuine and authentic emotions – offer them to pay some games and take photos as they do it. Best ones that work are: Ball games, throw confetti/ flowers/ leaves up in the air/ who will run towards me firs. Show me your ballerina twirl
- SILLY TALK – do you want them smile? I mean really smile and laugh? Then be silly with them! Say things they might find funny: “do the cats say woof woof? Do the elephants fly? Make up some animal noises, pretend you are one, pretend you fall on your bottom, pretend you snort and then ask oh who did that??? – all these things will send your children laughing and you just snap away and create your gorgeous timeless family portrait.
- BRIBE –well this is a great tool for children photography — it is one thing works so well with children over 3 years old!! They will do almost anything if you offer them something in return what they aren’t usually allowed to have. When my children want to have some sweets, my son asks me (!!!) “Mummy, please please please can we go to your studio to take some photos today?” “Do you want so sweets today, darling?” “Yes mummy, I really really want so sweets.”
“Mummy, please please please can we go to your studio to take some photos today?” “Do you want so sweets today, darling?” “Yes mummy, I really really want so sweets.”
imagine you are a princess and this flower is a little kitten, can you show mummy how to look after the baby cat
These things do work if implemented correctly and regularly or sparingly (aka bribe) which should be discussed with the kids in advance to make them feel excited about what will come next after the photos are over! It can be an ice cream, trip to Legoland, a new toy, a lollipop, an extra cartoon in the evening – imagination is the limit.
Hope these tips will be helpful for you to achieve great and beautiful portraits of your children. Family photography is indeed one the most favourite genres of child photography I do.
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