Picture Perfect? Part One

It's picture time!  The special time in a child's life where we must capture a milestone.  Whether it's Newborn, 6 mths, 1 year, 2 years, first day of school, first day of high school, graduation, etc; we all want our pictures to turn out like this: 

Did you just say, "Aww... How sweet"?  That is the reaction we strive to get instead of: 

Now either you laughed out loud, snickered, or titled your head to the side and said, "Poor Child."

We are all in agreement the memories we capture should make us melt inside every time. 

So, as Lil Man's 1st Birthday is coming up soon, I went to the Experts and asked these simple questions, "What advice would you give to mommy's and daddy's when getting their child's picture taken?  Is there anything that they can do before hand to make the session go by smoother? What do you do that is "different" from other photographers?"  And here is what the experts say:

Gloria Stults at Gloria Stults Photography

Photographing children is an experience for all! Unlike older people, little clients are too young to understand what you are trying to accomplish with a pose or setting. In today's photography world, getting a more natural "pose", capturing the child in "their element" so to speak, may make for a more pleasing product, and better memories than making them do something so unnatural to them. The photographer needs to be ready to snap at all times with little ones. Here is a tip I will give that may be a little out of the normal. Being a mother of three, my youngest seemed to do much better if I was out of sight! I would leave her with the photographer...of course I was not too far. I was still watching her, she just didn't know it. As a photographer, I have used this with certain "lil clients" and they seemed to do better. And of course...a little bribery goes a long way too!   Another important tip is to make sure they are well rested, just had a meal or light snack.

Rachel Guess  at Rachel Guess Photography

The number one piece of advice I have for parents who want a great turnout from their child's photo session is make your child comfortable.  This means dressing them in clothes they enjoy wearing, choosing a session location where they feel relaxed, coordinating with nap and eating schedules (to reduce fussiness), and let them be themselves.  I also recommend bringing along something that the child enjoys, a favorite toy or blanket.  Often, the best shots of your child happen when their personality can show through. After you've done what you can to make the session stress-free, the clothes can really make an image spectacular.  For little babies, no clothes or simple clothes work best.  For other ages, bold colors work great for single portrait shots.  When you've got multiple people in a picture, coordinating clothes makes a huge difference in the overall look of a photograph.  People often choose to all wear white or black tops, but I always give my clients some ideas for coordinating different colors, too. I love to have fun with photos, especially when children are involved.  I get down on their level and really enjoy myself.  If I'm having fun taking the pictures, the children will have more fun and give me more to work with.  Capturing joy in their faces or a silly look is usually far more interesting than an awkward pose of a three year old!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This next Photographer can be found over at Starla Steward Photography.  Starla Holl and I met at Freed-Hardeman University!  She has a natural "eye" for capturing your lil Caveman or Cavewoman!  Here is what she says:

 Capturing your Caveman

by Starla Holl

I'm sure that some days when your wild child is running around like a
little caveman and won't sit still for five seconds, you are ready to
cancel that photography appointment you made! You are thinking that he'll
never cooperate for one good photo.  Am I right?   Don't worry - I am here
to help! I photograph over a hundred children sessions a year and have
learned a lot in the last seven years.  I would like to share a few tips
with you to help prepare you for your photo shoot.

 1. Timing
   2. Finding the right photographer
   3. Asking the right questions
   4. Preparing the parents
   5. Preparing the child
   6. Remember to have fun
   7. Realistic expectations



Timing

If you think that you'll wait until next year to do photos because he might
"grow out of this toddler phase" then by the time you know it, he thinks
he's too big for photos, then he's a tween and too cool for photos.  There
really IS a perfect time for photos: NOW.  He'll change so much from year
to year and it's important to cherish every phase no matter how crazy it
might be.  So please, book that session.  I know it's hard to see now, but
you'll be grabbing for these photos for his graduation and then his wedding
and then he'll be showing these photos to his own kids.



Enjoy every stage of childhood and let
your photographer turn it into art



Finding the right photographer

This is key!  Find a photographer whose style fits what you are looking for
in your photos.  I know budget is an issue as well but sometimes you really
do get what you pay for.  And we really do pay for what we want in life.
We find the money to buy those cute shoes or to go out to eat more than we
should.  Be sure to put money back and invest in a great photographer that
can make your experience enjoyable and capture the best in your child.  I
am a fun, creative, lifestyle photographer so I'm going to be giving you
pointers from that perspective and if you have a little girl, replace all
the he's with she's.  I do respect formal classic portraiture but my style
caters more to the child who can't sit still very long.  I am very patient
and realistic when it comes to kids and it's important for you to be
patient and realistic too.  Your wild man may not do exactly what you
thought he might do, but find a photographer that you can trust will catch
those great moments.  You are seeing the session from the sidelines but
your photographer is seeing it through the lens.  A perfect smile might
have happened for .5 seconds but that photographer could have snapped it
and made your caveman look like an angel.  So please trust your
photographer.


You might see this from the sidelines



But the photographer may have captured this.

Asking the right questions

What questions do I ask the photographer?  Feel free to ask your
photographer questions when setting up your appointment so you can be on
the same page.  Ask if you can book your session for after a nap.  In my
experience, kiddos are happiest right after a nap.  Please don't schedule
your session right in the middle of his nap time and expect him to be in a
great mood.  Photographers love rested children who are fed and happy.
After all, do you feel like getting  your photo taken if you are tired and
hungry?  What does he wear? Try not to stress to much about an outfit.  You
can ask your photographer what to wear.  I say to try out your outfit so
you know that it fits well.  You don't wan the sleeves too long and we have
disappearing hands or the pants too short. I LOVE hats in photos but if
your kiddo hates hats, he probably won't like them during the photo shoot
either but it's worth it to snag a few great photos with it.   Ask how many
outfits -anything over two outfits will be overkill for a kiddo that
probably hates to change clothes. Also ask how long the session will take.

 we got an adorable photo with his hat
on

and there it went! HA!

Preparing the Parents

I know that a photo session can be a stressful time for a parent.  As a
photographer, I think it's almost as important or more important to prepare
the parent for the child's session than it is to prepare the child.  The
worst thing that can happen during one of my photo shoots is for the mom to
have a melt down that is worse than the child.  Trust me - I've seen it
all.  I experienced a mom yelling at her child to "SMILE!  SMILE! You
better smile or I'm going to 'take you outside'."   Now, the last time I
checked, I've never smiled when someone was yelling at me. Or I might have
done a fake smile with my mouth but my eyes said it all.  Keep your cool,
mom.  Our approach is to think of ways to make a child smile without
telling them to smile.  Depending on the age, a toddler might smile at
singing a favorite song.  I've never watched it but I can now sing "hot dog
hot dog hot diggity dog".  You should also bring a bag of goodies: maybe a
favorite toy or book.  Every mom has a different view on "bribing" but I am
for it. I like to call them "rewards".  Cheerios are good or those small
white puffs but please don't bring skittles or big m&ms.  Any candy that
will change the color of drool is probably not a good idea.  You know that
as soon as you give him a red m&m, he will drool on his nice shirt or it
will melt in his little hand and he'll wipe it on the shirt.   Speaking of,
bring a backup outfit just in case. Don't over think this outfit but if
something happens to your favorite outfit at the beginning of the session
(again depending on age, it could be spit up, or drool, or just that
magical dirt that kids seems to get on them out of thin air).    So in your
bag, please pack:  toys, rewards, sippy cup with clear liquid, and an extra
outfit.  Bring a laundry basket or a suitcase if you'd like. Whatever
works.  If your child is under 3 years old, I would bring two people:  One
person to help "spot the child" because they'll want to go where they want
to go and one person to help get a smile out of them that can be over by
the photographer.


Preparing the child

"Say Cheese".   Okay- I know we are all taught this but saying cheese
typically results in a fake smile that has been practiced too many times.
It's not a bad idea to teach a kid out to smile but maybe try another
approach. Instead you might want to teach them out to smile using something
they relate to like saying "let me see your big boy smile"  "do your mickey
mouse smile"  "do your spiderman smile".   Place a word for smile that
might trigger a smile in them.  This will only work a few times before they
get bored of it so be sure your photographer is ready.  Also, I always like
it when a mom has told their child that they are coming to Mrs. Starla's
place and that we are going to have fun taking some pictures.   It helps
the child know what they are in for.   And as a last ditch effort, I'm not
above bribing=85 I mean "rewarding". 

 I think doing a good job at the photo

session deserves some kind of reward like ice cream later or something.


This girl looks sweet in this photo with a
smile but she made me work hard for it. ha.  This is pretty much the only
smile we got but her whole session was so good even when it was silly. Not
every photo needs to be a smile.  How many smile photos will you hang up.
A collage of different photos looks better



Her whole session really showed
her personality!  Let your photographer have some fun and really catch your
child's spirit

Her whole session really showed
her personality!  Let your photographer have some fun and really catch your
child's spirit

Remember to make it fun

We've already covered this topic in preparing the parents but it's really
essential to a happy smiley photo session.  Nothing is fun when being told
to have fun so remember to make it fun.  Be silly, bring toys, anything
goes during one of my sessions.  If you have to make monkey sounds to make
your caveman laugh- then so be it.  Bring your best monkey voice.
Sometimes - your photographer needs to let a kid be a kid.  What works for
me is when the child is a little older than a toddler I'll say that we'll
do my poses and then their poses.  We both win: I get the photos I want and
the kids get to make faces at me and let that silliness out.

Let the child do their funny faces and
then ask them to give you one photo with a smile. It's a little give and
take

Realistic expectations

Okay - so what do you want out of your session?  Do you want a wall
portrait? a book? one good smile?  I don't expect you to know exactly what
you'll order but it helps you and the photographer if you know kind of what
your expectations are.   If you want one good one for the wall and five
pretty good ones for family, then remember that during your session and
during your viewing.  20-30 photos is a pretty good amount.  I end up over
shooting during most sessions and giving the clients around 50 photos to
choose from but most moms wish I took less so there aren't as many to
choose from.   I try to tell the mom that we have more great ones than they
think (if their wild child was being extra wild) but they still won't
believe me until they see the proofs.  So I'll tell you what I tell them.
Trust me - even the mad face ones or the crying ones are adorable!  If your
kiddo gets mad or cries - you could just make an expressions collage out of
it!  I'm a sucker for a good pouty face for one pose.  So - have realistic
expectations. If you get one GREAT one - print that one off for a large
wall portrait and consider it a success.


And sometimes the best photos are the ones that are true to life.  Boys will be boys



 

Good luck on your upcoming session!  I know it will be GREAT!

-Starla Holl

Starla Photography

Thank you ladies for your excellent advice!  Hopefully, my "CaveMan" will capture the heart of everyone through his One-Year Old Pictures! 

~Angel