I've mentioned it before in a few of my Facebook posts, and that is the concept of PLAYING during your photo session as opposed to POSING.
Yes, formal family portraits are nice. But they get repetitive and a little bland when you're getting a gallery of 20 or so images. To add, constantly nagging your kids to "look at the camera! Smile! Turn around! Don't move!" puts an added (and unnecessary) stress on your kids who quite simply do not understand the concept of holding still for a photograph - not even for a moment. So, here are some tips to help your photo session go off without a hitch and have you giggling and smiling over the outcome of your photos!
1) For the poses you DO want to get, I am not above bribery. Bringing tasty, small, easy to eat and clean snacks for you to convince your kiddos to cooperate for at least a few shots is totally encouraged... just this once! Your child is more likely to perform (at least for a little bit) if there is a goal they can achieve... get the candy! Fishy crackers or mini marshmallows go a loooong way!
2) Don't yell. Threatening discipline on your kids to get them to cooperate is only going to work against you. I mean... who's really going to smile if they're being scolded. "SMILE. NO. A REAL SMILE." It sounds silly in text, but I see it time and again. Instead of forcing your kiddos to smile, tell them a joke or start playing a game that you know they love playing! You'll have real smiles stealing the show in no time!
On a side note, I'm not telling anyone to not discipline their kids when necessary. But if it's in the attempts to get some genuine grins from your kiddo, try a calm and excitable approach to turn those frowns upside down!
3) Let them be! If you see the photographer aiming their sights to take a shot, for goodness sake's.. please don't interrupt or cause a distraction by telling your child to "look at the camera! smile! say cheese!". We see something that you don't. With all due respect, please just let us get the shot. You'll thank us for it (and we'll love you for it)!
4) Let your child set the pace. Let's face it, we aren't going to win this if we are fighting tooth and nail to get your child to cooperate when they just aren't having it. The trick is to let them think they're running the show, but really, we are the ones getting what we want - happy, huge grins that will later be lighting the walls in your homes.
5) Interact with your kids! I guarantee you, your favourite pictures will be the ones of you PLAYING with your kids! BIG smiles, laughter, and memories literally unfolding in front of you and being captured for you to enjoy time and again. Soak in the moment, enjoy the time with your family. Your kids will feed off of your positive energy, and it will RADIATE from your photos.
This all comes with an amount of trust in your photographer that they will get the shot. Do your research, make sure you check out a photographer's editing style and consider whether you truly like the photographer for their work, not just for their price. Hunt around and find someone who fits your tastes and your budget - it's a bit of a daunting task, but you'll be happier with the end results if you do your homework, and your photographer will love you to bits, too!
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