Photographing kids can be extremely fun, but at the same time it can be very tricky. They are unpredictable and have their own agenda, and you better be prepared with some awesome tricks – and I am not talking magic! – to catch their attention and keep them interested in you.
I have been photographing children in Miami for over five years and I love what I do! All these years have taught me some important lessons in how to interact with kids and their parents to have an AWESOME family session. Keep reading as I have some great tips for both photographers and parents.
Tip for Photographers: Build Trust. This is a no brainer! Children must feel comfortable around you to let their personalities shine. Think about this for a minute; parents are constantly telling their kids not to talk to strangers and here you are, a stranger, trying to be all friendly. Of course, the kid is going to be shy! Take your time to build trust! I said it once and I say it again: comfortable people photograph beautifully!
In this case, I have photographed Paxon since he was a newborn. He knows me and we are buddies. However, before I start photographing him I took my time to play around and chat with him about school and his dog xolo.
Tip for Photographers: when I want kids to stare at my lens and give me that intense look, we play a game. It is up to you, the photographer, to create games that will keep the kids interested in you and your gear. In this case, Phoenix and I played the lady bug game which consists on staring at the camera until a lady bug lands there. It works perfectly, specially with girls, they always want to see a tiny lady bug.
Tip for Parents: No Pressure! I know parents want their kids to do great and “pose” for the perfect photo, but the reality is that all that pressure can actually hurt your family session. Take a deep breath and relax! You have hired a professional family photographer and you need to trust her/him. Constant shouting at the kid to look at the camera is not only irritating for the kid, but also for the photographer. My advise is for you to take a step back and let the professional control the situation and do her/his job.
