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Photographing children can be a lot of work. It can also be
a lot of fun!
Like anything in life, your approach has everything to do with
your level of
success. Chances are, if you go in planning to have a good time,
you will.
Here's a few tips I've learned to help make the process of
photographing
children more enjoyable for everyone, as well as getting the
best possible
results.
1. GET TO KNOW YOUR SUBJECT
Kids are people too and they can be real characters. It is
very important
to take some time to get to know them before you begin photographing.
How
you do this is dependent on the age of the children, but you
should always
take the time to relate to your subjects a little bit first.
Keep in mind
that most kids have probably had some coaching from the parents
before the
shoot to "behave themselves, or else!" I like to take
the kids aside and
have what I call a "pow wow" before we start shooting.
This gives you a
chance to relate to them without the parents around and let them
get a feel
for you, as well. It's a good opportunity to change the pace
and tell them
how much fun you plan on having! The goal is to create a relaxed
atmosphere
and for everyone to have fun. During the shoot, don't be afraid
to ask the
child how they would like to be photographed. Keep them involved.
You
might be surprised with what they suggest! And don't be afraid
to ask Mom
or Dad to let you work with the kids alone. Kids are usually
more relaxed
if Mom & Dad aren't right there watching. Ask Mom & Dad
to start out
watching then slip away to allow you time to work with the kids
individually. Most parents are happy to do that.
2. BRING TREATS
I don't like to think of it as bribing, but as "incentive".
I carry an
assortment of age-related treats (bubbles, stickers, hockey cards,
chocolate
bars or candy - but be sure and check with the parent ahead of
time with the
candy ones) as incentive and reward for the kids. I usually tell
them at
the beginning during our pow-wow that if they help me take really
good
pictures for Mom and Dad that they all get a treat at the end.
Kids have a
short attention span and it can help to remind them during the
course of the
shoot that there is something good coming at the end. It helps
keep their
interest and it makes them like you!
3. CLOTHING IS IMPORTANT!
Parents often ask me "What should they wear?" This
is a very important
element as the portraits should not be about the clothing, but
about the
child. Keep in mind that some parents have a very specific idea
of what
they want their child to wear, but if asked, I always suggest
to keep it as
simple as possible. Avoid patterns, prints and stripes as they
can be
distracting to the eye and take attention away from the subject.
White
t-shirts, plain dresses or denim and overalls always work well
as they are
simple and timeless. Hats can work great on kids, but be sure
to take some
shots with and without them. Remind the parent they want to look
back at
the images years from now and see the child, not the outfit they
were
wearing. Also, children are more relaxed in casual clothing than
in fancy
clothes. Jeans and t-shirts are for playing in and that helps
make it fun.
I am also a big fan of photographing kids in bare feet!
4. LIGHTING
For outdoor portraits, the best times of day for light are
the early
morning hours and the hour before sunset. These times work well
as the sun
is low in the sky, resulting in a soft, golden light which is
very
flattering for your subjects. During the middle of the day, the
sun is
high in the sky and can result in hard, unattractive shadows
on the face.
Keep this in mind when choosing the time of day for your shoot.
If you are
shooting in the middle of the day, try to stay out of areas with
direct
sunlight. Instead, find an area with "open shade" to
work in. You want to
position your subjects to have open sky in front of them in order
to
properly light their faces. Sometimes this can be difficult to
do, in which
case using a bit of fill flash can help open up the shadows in
your
subject's face.
5. MAKE THEM LAUGH!
There is nothing worse than a cheesy, fake-looking smile and
there are lots
of ways around it. I love the natural smiles and have found a
few good ways
of getting them. Be silly! Ask the older kids if they're married.
Or ask
the younger ones the name of their girlfriend or boyfriend. Or
if Mom or
Dad wore their purple Barney underwear today! Anything that embarrasses
Mom or Dad usually cracks up a child of any age.
Another great way to get younger kids to laugh is to play
a simple game of
peek-a-boo with them from behind the camera. It will usually
result in
some great expressions as children love to play and every child
knows this
game!
6. KEEP IT NATURAL
Another good way to avoid the child being uncomfortable is
to keep them
talking. Ask questions about family pets, sports they play, what
their
favourite food is, etc. It gives you an opportunity to get to
know the
child as well as giving them something to do while sitting for
you. Don't
be afraid to take some shots when they are not smiling or laughing.
Natural
expressions, soft smiles and spontaneous looks can make the best
portraits.
7. BE SUBTLE
A great photographer once told me "Never be afraid to
demand subtlety in
your images." Once I thought about what they meant, it made
a lot of sense.
It turned out to probably be the most valuable piece of advice
I received
regarding my craft. Once you understand it, it will elevate your
work to a
whole new level.
Gather and study images that move you and that you admire.
You will most
likely find a common theme among them and find most are simple,
uncontrived
moments. There are several ways to go about achieving those.
Begin with a basic area you want to work in. Choose a location
with an
abundant source of great photo opportunities, like a park, a
playground or
the beach. It is a good idea to arrive ahead of time and scout
it out to
find areas that work best. Once you have, narrow down the areas
to where
the light is good and the background is not too distracting.
Then, place
your subject in that area and work from there. Rather than trying
to get
the child to do what you want or what you think would look good,
I prefer to
just let the child do their own thing and follow them around.
Children are
fascinating and have an intense curiosity for everything! Chances
are,
they will lead you on a little adventure of their own. All you
have to do
is watch for good moments. This can be really fun with active
children!
Most importantly, I have learned not to shoot unless what
I'm shooting
looks awesome through the lens. We all know that feeling when
things are
really clicking and you just know you're getting great images.
If it's not
working, stop and move to another spot. The trick is to wait
until you have
all the right elements in place instead of getting carried away
and just
shooting.
8. FINE TUNE THINGS
And always try to take a step back and keep a sharp eye out
for details.
Are all the hands and feet in the frame? Any annoying strands
of hair or
twigs growing out of the back of their head? These things will
annoy you
and possibly ruin a shot when you get the images back and wonder
"Where did that come from?" Taking the time to fine
tune things will definitely pay
off in the long run.
All of this requires a little bit of skill and a lot of patience
but will
make the difference between good images and incredible ones.
Keep in mind,
this will not happen overnight. It is a gradual process of refining
your
eye and becoming more professional.
9. ALWAYS LEAVE A FEW FRAMES
One very interesting thing I have learned is that some of
the best shots
happen towards the end of a shoot. This is almost always the
case. It
seems something special happens at the end when everyone is relaxed
and
winding down. When I first started out, I would often be rewinding
the last
roll and turn around see the child doing something adorable and
the light
was perfect and I would be kicking myself that I had no film
left!
So, save a few and you'll be pleasantly surprised. And don't
be afraid to
shoot your subjects from behind. Some of my favourite shots are
ones where
the children are walking away, either holding hands or just looking
down at
the ground and walking. They are in their own little world and
it can be a
great moment to capture.
10. HAVE FUN!
Photographing children is one of the most incredible jobs
in the world.
People tell me, "I don't know how you do it!". I love
children and I love
photography, so combining two of my favourite things (and getting
paid for
it!) is a dream come true. I look at it as sharing a few moments
in a
child's world and just allowing them to be themselves. To capture
one of
these moments on film and present it to their parent is a gift
they will
treasure for a long time.
Take these ideas and get out there and photograph a child
today! And have
fun while you are doing it! It will show in your results.
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