7 Tips For Photographing Children

Be patient with them.
Some kids will warm up to you immediately. Some won’t. Work on the child’s schedule, not yours. Instead of picking up the camera right away, sit down at their level and play with them or read them a book. Become their friend first, and they’ll trust you the rest of the day.

Capture who they are, not a standard photograph.
One of my favorite photographs of my daughter was when she was two. She was staring out of our living room window, thumb in her mouth, twirling her hair with her fingers. That was so her at that particular moment of her life, and I can’t imagine not being able to remember her like that. Just looking at that image brings back a ton of memories. That’s who she was at that moment, and that’s what we strived to capture.
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7 Photography Tips for Better Children’s Portraits

How do you approach portraiture for children so that you get great images AND make a ton of money doing it?

1. Treat the child as your client. Your first task is to create a great rapport with the child. They won’t work with you if you don’t talk to them in their mannerism. Find what they like and share in their excitement. Get down to their level. You don’t want them to see you as an adult. You want them to see you as a friend.

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image source Tina Keller

2. Treat the mom (dad, grandparent, or whoever is there and paying for the portrait) as your client. Yes, this is the person paying for the portrait session, and any packages and prints they purchase in the future. But remember, they will be happy if their child stays happy, and if the child has a smile on his or her face as they are leaving your studio.

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