South Florida Family Photographer | My Top 5 Tips to Help You Capture More Smiles When Photographing Your Child
We’ve all been there. Aiming the camera at our children begging them to say “cheese” in a desperate attempt to capture their beautfiul smile, only to get that fake forced smile (if they even smile!). If this is you…stop. Stop asking your child to say cheese and try one of these tips below:
1. Be prepared
Ok, so this tip wont make your child smile, but it will help you not miss the shot when they actually do. Children are not naturally patient so make sure your camera/phone is ready, the light is good and the background isn’t too cluttered. You want to have everything ready so you can just concentrate on capturing them smiling, not them waiting on you. Otherwise they’ll more than likely be over it before you’re even ready.
In the shot above with the pumpkin, I had my backdrop and camera ready to shoot before I put my son in the pumpkin. I got a lot of great shots but after 10 minutes he was over it and wanted to come out of the pumpkin. Had I not been ready I wouldn’t have gotten those happy smiling portraits that day.
2. Interact With them
Playing games (peek-a-boo for younger children and babies), singing interactive songs (itsy bitsy spider, if you’re happy and you know it, the wheels on the bus, etc.) and being silly will usually elicit a nice, natural smile. Just make sure you’re quick enough to catch it. I’ll often ask if they would like me to sing a song, which I do. Except I make a few changes. For example, if I sing Old MacDonald had a farm, instead of “with a moo moo here” for the cow, I’ll say something like “with a quack quack here” this makes children squeal with delight saying ‘noooo that’s not right!’. And in that split second I’ve already gotten my beautiful portrait!
I’ve got to give it to all the amazing grandmas out there. They really know how to get silly and make their grandchildren smile. In one of my milestone sessions, the grandma went for the leaf blower and powered it up! It was hilarious and the smiles that came after were just gorgeous. So as you can see, sometimes you just have to get really silly!
3. Let them move
Face it, most children do not enjoy being asked to stand still while simultaneously being told to smile for an extended period of time. Instead, let them run, jump, or dance. Ask them to give you their biggest fakest laugh, in doing so they’ll probably let out a real one. Letting them do new activities or activities they enjoy (blowing bubbles, painting, making sand castles) is a good idea too. They’ll be having so much fun they’ll inevitably be smiling. All you have to do its capture it.
4. Play Music
You’re driving back home from Target (with a trunk full of stuff that wasn’t on your list) when out of the blue it happens. Your jam comes on the radio. Without thinking your hand is automatically on the volume knob and next thing you know you’re in a world of your own. Or so you think, because the cars can definitely see you dancing through your tinted windows! When trying to take a picture of your child, playing their favorite songs will often get them singing (or babbling), dancing, and smiling as well. The smile on a child’s face when their song comes on is just as priceless.
5. Just accept it
Some babies and children (and adults too) just naturally have a more serious personality. And that’s ok. I know you want those smiling pictures, but remember it’s more important to capture your child’s personality and growth just the way they are. When your child is older you want to be able look back on their photos and remember what they were like at that time in their life. So let their pictures be true to their heart!
Whatever you do, just don’t get angry and start yelling at them to smile. Honestly, would you feel like smiling after being yelled at? It might be hard but remain calm, put the camera/phone down and focus their attention on something else. If they don’t feel pressured or bad vibes then when you try again it might be more successful. At the end of the day remember that kids will be kids!
Hopefully these tips will help you capture more smiles from you little ones. Let me know if any of these tips work for you or if you have any tips you want to share!