How To Take Better Photos Of Your Kids - Golden, Colorado Family Photographer
Before nearly every family photo shoot, the mom will warn me that her kids hate having pictures taken or will be non-cooperative. Afterwards, I’m hailed as a magician. You know what? I’m going to let you in on a few of my tricks. I think it is important for you to get images of your own kids on a daily basis and they should be ones that show your kids enjoying life, not grimacing like they are being tortured, flinging their hands in front of their face, or sticking their tongues out at you. I have two boys of my own that do all of the above.
First of all, you need to trick them into thinking it is fun. For some kids, it is a matter of taking a photo, showing them the image, then make a game of it. Picture, look, picture, look. You will eventually get a relaxed and natural photo.
Potty Talk. Yes, I hate it too. When my boys were smaller, I would tell them that potty talk belonged in the bathroom. They could only make poop and fart jokes in the bathroom with the door closed. You know what though, they are perfect for getting kids to laugh. Sometimes I’ll throw out a ‘Who farts the loudest?’ during a shoot and I can see in mom’s eyes ‘Seriously? Did you just go there?’, but the kids start laughing and in turn, relaxing.
Next, let the kids play. During photo shoots, I will let the kids run around and play when I can tell they are getting tired of being in front of the camera. This is a great time to get candid photos while giving them a chance to burn off pent-up energy. Typically, they will come back for more photos and are more relaxed than they were.
Get them to forget you are taking photos. Ask questions. Kids love to talk about what they are interested in. I will take my camera down and act like I am fiddling with it while asking questions about their favorite book, movie, video game, etc. They get involved in telling me a story and I lift the camera back up, give a quick direction, snap the photo, then continue the conversation. This works great with older kids especially. It makes teens a bit less self-conscious about being in front of the camera.
Are you interested in learning more about taking better photos of your kids? I am holding my beginner photography class again in March and would love for you to join me. If you have a DSLR and are currently shooting in Auto mode, this class is for you! You will learn how to use the incredible tool in your hands to take better photos in low light, bright light, how to get the dreamy, blurry backgrounds and how to stop action. If you are interested, please email me at kathy@kathyspanskiphotography.com for more info.
