Some professional photographers have an uncanny ability to capture amazing depth of emotion and honesty in their work with children. Other photographers shoot pictures of young people that may be perfectly focused, expertly lit and properly posed, but somehow lack personality.
But how, exactly, do the good ones do it? Is it sheer luck, a keen photographic eye or do they have some simple “tricks of the trade” tucked up their collective sleeves? When it comes right down to it, what every parent wants in a portrait of his or her child, is something that will forever reflect a precious piece of the child’s personality at that moment in time.
This is another “Photography How To” article from Emma David. Emma is a staff writer and photographer for the leading free online digital photography tips and lessons site, FreePhotoCourse.com. In this article, she reveals some pro photographer secrets for taking award-winning portraits of children.
Whether the subject is your own child or one of another parent, photographing kids can be a challenging, yet, highly rewarding activity! On one hand, beyond all of the usual photo technique and composition rules you would normally need to observe, you also have the added dimension of working with a photo subject who can be highly unpredictable, unfocused and may have far more energy than any adult could ever muster. On the other hand, children put it all out there. They tend not to mask their emotion and personality like most adults do. What you get is pure and honest.
If done properly, the result can be a great deal more than merely “cute”. Really good pictures of children have an authenticity that’s beyond question and can tell you a lot about the child’s personality or mood.
Here are some tips that will help you survive the child photo session in one piece and to produce portraits that will melt hearts!
1. Decide on the Style of Portrait
You need to consider, in advance, whether you want the session to produce a style of portraits that is formal, casual, candid, active or just plain silly or fun. If you are working for a paying customer, you need to establish this with the parent before the day of your photo session. Many photographers will blend a variety of portrait styles in one session, but you should plan for what you or your client feels should be the predominate picture look.
2. Choose Suitable Locations
Increasingly, today’s photographers are doing family photo sessions at their clients’ homes. This is a great trend for both the photographer and the subject, and it’s an even better idea when the subject is a child. Conducting a shoot at the child’s own home has the distinct advantage of a relaxed environment that helps to remove some of the artificiality that comes with any photo session. It also carries the added benefit of having a lot of toys and favorite things within reach that the child may like to play with or use. Favorite things and special places, both indoor and out, can enhance moods and reveal aspects of the child’s personality.
For outdoor locations, beyond the back yard, you may also consider nearby parks, forested areas, local landmarks and places with natural water features. If the child is into a particular sport or organized activity, you might consider including a related site for the shoot, such as a ball diamond, athletic field, dance studio, etc.
If the style calls for a formal portrait, consider bringing a portable studio to the client’s home (or invest in one to use at your own home if you are wearing two hats as both the photographer and the parent). Bring along your seamless paper backgrounds and stand system, along with portable softbox lighting.
3. Time is of the Essence in Formal Child Portraiture
If you or your client expect formal portraiture to be part of the photo session, then be aware that the child’s attention span will be far shorter compared to that of any other type of photography. Other styles of portraiture that are more casual, candid or activity-based allow for a greater measure of comfort and physical activity, making them a better bet for the younger subject.
In my experience, a child’s attention span, mood and cooperation are at their best during the first five to ten minutes, particularly if the boy or girl is dressed-up. If you can’t get your best work done within that very short window, you’d be better off letting the child take a break and do something else for fifteen or so minutes before trying to regroup. Forcing the child to sit still for extended periods until you have the exact picture you have in mind will result in unflattering expressions, an unwillingness to pose and a less-than-cooperative demeanor.
Good advance planning in the areas of equipment needs, exposure, backgrounds, etc., will help you maximize this short formal posing window.
4. Shoot in Continuous or Burst Mode
You will thank me for this one! I’ve read so many advice articles about child photography that dwell on lighting, exposure and other aspects of photographic technique. But they tend to miss one very important secret that pro photographers use regularly when it comes to their vertically-challenged subjects!
Kids move around quickly. Kids change their expressions suddenly and without notice. Kids do the cutest things and put themselves into the most amazing photographic situations and then…it’s gone before you’ve snapped your shutter! When doing outdoor photography that does not require regular or fill flash, set your DSLR to “continuous” or “burst” mode. Popping-off 10 or so frames within a few seconds opens-up a world of candid opportunities and amazing expressions that would otherwise be missed.
5. Plan an Activity
This one’s easier if you are the parent, as opposed to being hired to photograph someone else’s child. Nevertheless, planning an outing or activity that is of interest to the child can help generate a great deal of authentic emotion and can bring-out certain aspects of the subject’s personality.
6. Smile, Smile and Keep Smiling!
I find it odd that cranky photographers who don’t particularly like working with children expect anything more than the cookie-cutter, lifeless results they normally get. I’ve even seen photographers bark posing orders at their young subjects and have wondered what on earth they were thinking!
Remember to smile a lot, because it can help reinforce your eagerness to be there and can warm-up a working relationship far faster than a serious face ever can. Even if you are generally an upbeat sort of person, remember that children are extremely keen when it comes to sizing-up the adults around them. They instinctively know whether or not the adult really cares about them, is putting-on an act, is happy and wants to be there. Liking children is a good start. They may be a bit of a challenge compared to your adult subjects, but if you do your part, the results can be amazingly pure and expressive!
To read more of Emma David’s tips for taking great pictures of kids, visit: How to Take Excellent Child Portraits.
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Emma David is a Staff Writer/Photographer for FreePhotoCourse.com, a leader in online digital photography lessons, tips, how-to’s and more. She has written for various publications on photography and other artistic themes. Emma has also worked previously as a photography educator and as an editor for other photo-based websites.