Tips for making a photo shoot with children easier

They say ‘never work with children or animals’ but for me this is a part of my job that I absolutely love! It can be a stressful thing for parents if they worry about their children ‘performing’ on the day, not messing around or not pulling their cheesy camera smile!  So I’ve put together this blog to give you some hints and tips which help contribute for a fun photo shoot.

1. Choose the right time for them
As a photographer golden hour (1-2 hours before sunset/after sunrise) is always my preference for shooting outdoors, as the light is warm and creeps through the trees to give a beautiful backlit glow.  However, this is not always suitable, especially in the middle on summer time, when this time can be between 6/7pm.  So book your session when you know your child(ren) will be at their best, so maybe after lunch when they have lots of energy or after dinner time when it will be a treat to be going outdoors instead of having bath time.  Tired children seldom want to participate if they are lacking energy, so think about nap times and feeding times.

2. Be playful and make it fun
Putting pressure on your child to behave or sit up straight will just make them feel uneasy.  I always try to get on the same level as the child, whether they are 2 or 12, finding something that appeals to them, such as something they enjoy doing, find funny or that makes them feel a little grown up will do wonders for creating that connection and getting natural smiles.  

​​I often ask parents to dance a silly dance behind me, or pretend to put something on my head – goofing around is very much part of the shoot and the more playful you are the more the children will relax and enjoy their session.

3. Be patient
Sometimes children take a little while to feel at ease in front of the camera and not adding pressure is crucial to bringing the child around to actually wanting to have their picture taken.  Sometimes I start with the parents, or the older siblings, so the younger ones can see it’s nothing to be scared of.  By the end of the shoot I normally find the children are directing the shots and telling me what to do!  If the children need a break, that’s OK too.  I encourage parents to bring snacks, treats as bribery and definitely some water as they usually end up doing lots of running around!  So if the children need a snack break we’ll set them up with food and a drink and then I’ll do some parent shots while we wait.  Normally when the focus is diverted away from the child they are more than willing to get back involved after snack time!

4. Be prepared
Before the photo shoot I send my clients a Pre-Shoot Guide and this gives all the information in terms of what to wear, what to bring and what to expect at their shoot.  Planning your outfits and colour scheme will help you feel comfortable on the day and confident in what you are wearing.  Don’t leave it to the day of the shoot to think about this and always bring back up clothes for those unexpected moments!  Bringing a few accessories can also be fun, such as a hat, scarf or blaser – just to give some different looks to the pictures.  I don’t encourage my clients to bring change of outfits as there are usually no areas to change discreetly and also uses up precious shooting time!  Checking the weather too and dress for the temperature and season will also help.  Cold or wet children are unlikely to be happy, so just think ahead in terms of your planning.

Above all, have fun and enjoy the session!  We are capturing moments and precious memories for you to love and cherish for years to come!

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