Guest Post by Eve // Photographing Children

Hey everyone! I'm Eve from the blog Eve of Womanhood. Bonnie recently asked me if I would like to guest post for her and of course I said yes!

So today I'll be doing a little tutorial for you guys. I'm going to share a few tips and secrets for taking photos of kids. Whether you're taking photos as a hobby or as a job, these tricks will definitely help you capture the beauty of childhood.

1. Make Them Feel Comfortable

If you have a photography business it can be really hard to make a child feel comfortable in front of the camera (or around a photographer they don't know). When you first meet the child tell him/her who you are and what you're going to be doing. 

ex. "Hey, Chloe! I'm Eve, and I'm going to be taking a few pictures of you today." 

During the photo shoot you can make a little small talk like, "How has your summer been?" or "Oh, you have such a beautiful smile!"

After you have some good photos of the child, show him/her the pictures on your camera to get the child excited for more photo-taking.

A very important thing to remember is that if you are not comfortable and nervous then most likely it will make the child feel the same way. Try to hide any nervousness you have with confidence and show them how fun a photo session can be.

If you are taking pictures of shy sibling or cousins this is also a helpful tip for making them feel more comfortable around the camera. 

2. Try Different Perspectives

Don't just stick with the normal poses and straight forward angles. Try to capture childhood from a different perspective. 

Try taking pictures of the little details that they have. For example when I take pictures of babies, I always try to take pictures of their feet, hands, and their sleeping eyes. That way when they grow older, their parents will still have the pictures to look back on.

3. Be Silly

Being silly will really help you take beautiful pictures of toddlers and babies. As you may know little kids and infants are very easily distracted. When I got the chance to photograph a baby boy I was so afraid that I may not be able to make him smile.

When the day of the photo session arrived it would be a major understatement to say that I was nervous. He and his parents came over and I got started with the photo shoot. Before I even took a picture I tried directing his attention toward me.

I would say in a major "baby talk" voice, "Hey, buddy! Whattcha doin'? Heyy, honey! Can you look over here? Aww, good job! Whatcha doin'? You're a good boy, aren't you?"

At first I felt ridiculous as I spoke in a high pitched baby voice and made silly faces all the while. But when I saw him smiling and letting his personality shine through I enjoyed myself just as much as he was! 

4. Let Them Be Kids

Children are unpredictable. They'll either..

A. smile and look like perfect angels

or

B. make silly faces, laugh, cry or run around.

B is what happens most of the time. When you first start taking pictures of them get a few of them smiling and looking at the camera but then let them have a little fun. Ask them where they want to take the pictures next. 

e.g. "Which place do you want to take pictures first? By the tree, on the bench, or by the fountain?" 

Kids don't like to be told what to do so this is a simple way to let them think "they're" in control.

5. Get the "Mommy Look"

Ahhh. The "mommy look". If you are taking pictures of a toddler or baby you should totally try this. It's so precious. All you do is have the baby's mom with you while you take the pictures. Then encourage her to say his/her name or talk to him/her. 

When it gets the baby's attention he/she looks over at her/his momma and does a sweet little smile. I've tried this with two children I've photographed and the results were pure adorableness.<3

6.Have Fun

The most important tip for photographing kids is simply have fun. If your having fun with them then most likely they're having fun with you. If the child is restless and tired, have a few suckers on hand to reward them after the photo shoot. That will give them something to look forward to. :)

Thanks for reading! <3