If I had to pick one thing I’ve learnt in my time photographing children, it’s that kids don’t know how to be anyone but who they are. Mostly, they’re not afraid of being photographed. Mostly, what you see is what you get, and it pours out of them. Sometimes, what pours out is not always their ‘best’; they are kids after all, but guaranteed it’s always unashamedlyĀ real. As a teller of stories, nothing makes me happier than seeing kids truly shine in front of my camera, because generally, parents want their children captured at their best. But in order for that to be possible, children need to be happy, relaxed, comfortable, to know they have permission to play, and a little bit of control over what’s happening.
So here is a helpful rundown for parents, when preparing your family for a portrait shoot with us…
School aged kids are very good at ‘fake smiles’, because somewhere along the line, they learn that when adults pull out a camera, they need to do what they’re told, and mostly that means: smile, stand up straight, take your hand out of your mouth, wipe your nose, stop making that silly face. We don’t entirely agree with this! We want the experience of being photographed to be fun. We want children and adults alike to feel like photography is a celebration, and that who you are is worth it! Of course it’s helpful to us when children are well behaved, but we have our own ways of ‘directing’ them so that they still feel a sense of independence and enjoy the process. During a portrait shoot, we may capture a whole range of different emotions, including silly faces, cranky faces, and overly enthusiastic behaviour, but we find that by encouraging kids to be themselves we can connect with them in a special way, and that allows us to capture them at their most gorgeous, lovely, unique best. Parents, make sure your kids are dressed in a way you like, wearing their hair the way you would like to remember them at this age, but don’t worry about their behaviour. Just focus on having a good time. Allow yourselves to get lost in the moment, just like they do, and the connection you have as a family will be radiant, and preserved forever in the images we create for you.
These images are from a session from last year in one of my favourite locations, and a perfect example of what I’m talking about. Enjoy!
