Taking Photos With Little Kids
Are you taking christmas photos with little ones this year? Here are my 10 practical tips to limit the tears this year!
Family photos are always a challenge, but there’s something about a baby screaming in a photo that I love. I think it’s because its real! I rarely do a photo session without tears from little ones. So take a little bit of pressure off yourself and your kid and enjoy the candid moments.
1.
Take photos in a location your kid is familiar with, sometimes being at home or grandmas backyard is a great option. Your kid will feel more comfortable and content in a place they know. It’s also nice to have their favorite toy or a different snack super convenient to grab. A backyard or a cozy couch near a window often looks great in photos.
2.
Bring treats, small things that are not messy like gummy bears. Don’t bring juice boxes, lolly pops, or food items that will melt. Typically you don’t want photos of your baby drinking out of a juice box, with a stick sticking out of their mouth or chocolate on his tooth when he finally cracks a smile!
3.
If you know your kid loves juice boxes and that’s something that always calms them down think about buying a juice box in a color that goes with your photo theme, or maybe wrapping it in brown paper so it’s a little more neutral. Or put juice in a special cup that will look better in a photo. If your child loves chips, but the chips in a brown paper bag instead of leaving it in the brightly colored/branded bag.
4.
It works better to keep the child happy then to try and bribe them, so bring a lot of small treats they can constantly eat throughout the shoot so they will remain happy. This also gives kids a reason to look forward to future photo shoots knowing they get to have treats.
5.
Bring props! Kids love props, they love stacking, carrying, and showing the photographer things! Ornaments to hang on a tree, a crate to climb over, a blanket to sit on! Have your kid help you set these things up, it makes for great candids and a little distraction from having to “cheese” the whole time.
6.
Bring toys! Toys are a great distraction! When you’re outside in a new place a familiar toy can bring calm to a situation. Bring toys your kids love and toys that will blend into the scenery. Think about the colors that will be in your shoot, if you have a fall location with red leaves bring a red car so it blends in and doesn’t stand out in the photo. If you’re shooting at the beach maybe some wooden blocks that blend in with the sand. Leaves, rocks, and shells can stand in for toys if you forget to bring their favorite from home. (can you spot the toy in this photo?)
7.
Don’t forget about yourself! As the parent in front of the camera with little kids focus on how you look! Kids are hard, and they fidget a lot! you might get 1 good face out of 20 photos with them, so make an effort to focus on what you look like, talk through your smile so that the photo your kid looks good in you also look fantastic as well!
8.
With kids who are a little older, especially boys who don’t love having their picture taken, bring them into the process! Have them bring their football ask them if they want photos with you or one of their siblings specifically. Let them get a picture of them climbing a tree, or riding their skateboard. They are much more cooperative when it’s not all posed.
9.
Tickling and tossing a baby up in the air is a great technique. It’s often a good way to get a genuine smile out of a little one. If you give your photographer a little heads up before you go for it they will be able to capture the reaction. And remember to think about what you look like!
10.
Lastly, as a very last resort at the end of the shoot you can bring out your phone. Only as a last resort! Because once you use the phone as a distraction you will not be able to take the phone away without tears. Also the kid might not be crying but they might be a bit zoned out in the photo.