Monday, December 17, 2007
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Getting children ready for the photo shoot
Photographing children is something I love. It brings me immense joy to capture those sweet little expressions. I have discovered, however, that picture day is usually very stressful for mom. So mom, here are some tips to make things a little easier on you!
1. Remember that kids are kids. They aren't going to pose perfectly. They aren't going to sit still. Sometimes they will cry, and sometimes they smile crooked. It's okay. Don't be embarrassed or frustrated because your kids are normal. Kids are kids.
2. Always arrive to your appointment 10-15 minutes early. Give your children a few minutes to walk around and explore. If they are comfortable in their environment, the pictures will be much better. Taking a child out of the car and putting them in front of a camera in a strange place rarely goes over well.
3. If the situation permits, consider changing them into their picture clothes right before the shoot. This will help eliminate wrinkles created by car seats. But remember, if you are going to do this, arrive early enough to allow time for the clothes change and to give them time to warm up to their environment.
4. Bring a washcloth. If we are shooting on location, bring a wet washcloth. Just before the shoot, gently wash your children's face and hands. We don't want to do a full scrub down and get them upset, but gently washing their faces and hands can make them feel clean and refreshed (and it helps remove any cookie crumbs!).
5. Bring a juice box and cookies or crackers. Consider giving them a snack right before we begin shooting. Hungry children are not happy children. Unhappy children don't respond well to a camera.
6. Never reprimand your child for their performance in a photo shoot unless they genuinely do something worthy of a reprimand (hitting another child, for example). Fussing at children for not "posing" properly or sitting still will only make matters worse. Our goal is to capture children in their natural state. If we can create a stress-free environment for them, their personalities will shine. Often times I will ask children to tell me about school or pets or friends. Or I will ask them to come up with an idea for a pose. We want the shoot to be fun, fun, fun.
7. Sometimes we may ask mom to step away. Please don't take this personally. If a child is clingy or decides to "show out," removing mom from the scene will actually help. Sometimes I will ask mom to stand behind me and act crazy to help get their children laughing. Other times, it is simply best for mom to step out of the room.
8. When photographing children, the fewer adults around the better. If you have one child, it is better to have one parent helping with the shoot. If you'd both like to come, great. Consider taking turns helping with the shoot. I would say to plan to bring one adult for every 2-3 children. If you have a group of 5 cousins, pick 2 adults to help. The more adults, the more distracted the children become. Before long, the shoot turns into chaos. Parents are mad, children are crying. Less is more!
9. Consider your child's nap time when scheduling your session. You don't want to get too close to nap time (either before or after).
10. Communication is key. Talk to me. Tell me if your child is going through a difficult time or just had a special event happen. The more I know, the better I can relate to your child. Also, tell me if there is a certain look you are hoping to capture or a picture that is very important to you. Children don't last very long in front of the camera, so it's crucial to get the important shots first. Once the session starts, time will fly, and things will move pretty quickly. With short attention spans, we only have a small window of time to catch them in their prime. So communicating beforehand is key.
My goal is to create a relaxed environment where kids can be themselves. If they are comfortable and open, we can create some amazing and unique portraits that will represent who they truly are. They are only young for a moment, and I know the value of capturing these precious little whispers of life before they slip away.
1. Remember that kids are kids. They aren't going to pose perfectly. They aren't going to sit still. Sometimes they will cry, and sometimes they smile crooked. It's okay. Don't be embarrassed or frustrated because your kids are normal. Kids are kids.
2. Always arrive to your appointment 10-15 minutes early. Give your children a few minutes to walk around and explore. If they are comfortable in their environment, the pictures will be much better. Taking a child out of the car and putting them in front of a camera in a strange place rarely goes over well.
3. If the situation permits, consider changing them into their picture clothes right before the shoot. This will help eliminate wrinkles created by car seats. But remember, if you are going to do this, arrive early enough to allow time for the clothes change and to give them time to warm up to their environment.
4. Bring a washcloth. If we are shooting on location, bring a wet washcloth. Just before the shoot, gently wash your children's face and hands. We don't want to do a full scrub down and get them upset, but gently washing their faces and hands can make them feel clean and refreshed (and it helps remove any cookie crumbs!).
5. Bring a juice box and cookies or crackers. Consider giving them a snack right before we begin shooting. Hungry children are not happy children. Unhappy children don't respond well to a camera.
6. Never reprimand your child for their performance in a photo shoot unless they genuinely do something worthy of a reprimand (hitting another child, for example). Fussing at children for not "posing" properly or sitting still will only make matters worse. Our goal is to capture children in their natural state. If we can create a stress-free environment for them, their personalities will shine. Often times I will ask children to tell me about school or pets or friends. Or I will ask them to come up with an idea for a pose. We want the shoot to be fun, fun, fun.
7. Sometimes we may ask mom to step away. Please don't take this personally. If a child is clingy or decides to "show out," removing mom from the scene will actually help. Sometimes I will ask mom to stand behind me and act crazy to help get their children laughing. Other times, it is simply best for mom to step out of the room.
8. When photographing children, the fewer adults around the better. If you have one child, it is better to have one parent helping with the shoot. If you'd both like to come, great. Consider taking turns helping with the shoot. I would say to plan to bring one adult for every 2-3 children. If you have a group of 5 cousins, pick 2 adults to help. The more adults, the more distracted the children become. Before long, the shoot turns into chaos. Parents are mad, children are crying. Less is more!
9. Consider your child's nap time when scheduling your session. You don't want to get too close to nap time (either before or after).
10. Communication is key. Talk to me. Tell me if your child is going through a difficult time or just had a special event happen. The more I know, the better I can relate to your child. Also, tell me if there is a certain look you are hoping to capture or a picture that is very important to you. Children don't last very long in front of the camera, so it's crucial to get the important shots first. Once the session starts, time will fly, and things will move pretty quickly. With short attention spans, we only have a small window of time to catch them in their prime. So communicating beforehand is key.
My goal is to create a relaxed environment where kids can be themselves. If they are comfortable and open, we can create some amazing and unique portraits that will represent who they truly are. They are only young for a moment, and I know the value of capturing these precious little whispers of life before they slip away.
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