Tips for taking professional photos with kids

Getting heirloom quality, Christmas card like photographs of children with smiley faces is no easy task. As a mom I’ve learned what works best for us, and I asked our family’s photographer to share some advice as well.

We have our family pictures done every year by a local photographer, Lori Anderson of Simply Southern Photography. Sometimes we’ve had them done twice a year, when there were pregnancies and new babies.

We’ve been doing this since the fall of 2008. We’ve had times when the girls have fun with it and take some great pictures. But getting them to cooperate always takes a bit of bribery and creative ways to make it fun.

This is my first tip. Choose a place your children will find interesting, where they can be themselves. For us, that means being outside. With the exception of one new baby session, all our photo sessions are done outside.

Once I took my kids to a studio place for photos and the kids’ expression resembled a deer staring into a headlight, while the workers obnoxiously waved stuffed animals in the air behind the camera.

While taking photos of children, our goal is to let the kids be kids, while their photo is being taken and they explore what is around them.

When I was pregnant we did a shoot walking through our neighborhood, and as the end of session treat we all ran through garden sprinklers as we walked home. The last photo taken was of our family standing on our front porch, soaking wet with the dog.

I loved that day. It was so HOT. But we had a great time and made fun memories.

Secondly, sometimes it pays off t0 let them take a favorite toy along for the photos.

One time the girls brought their dolls with them, which were included in some of our photos. That was a treat and something fun for them.

One of my all time favorite pictures of my middle girl was taken from a distance, with her sitting on a park bench playing a mini harmonica that was on her necklace. She was totally in her own little happy world.

That’s when I think you get the best pictures with children, when you go with the flow and let them have fun with the process. Plus you’ll have some photos to remind you of your child’s interests and personality at that age.

My other favorite session was down in the Old City of our small town where we walked on railroads and through rustic rundown train depots. There was so much for the girls to explore that they had never seen before, that they cooperated so well and Lori was able to get some amazing shots. I loved the artistic value to those.

My third speak-from-experience tip is to consult your children about their outfits. In the beginning days it’s nice to dress them how we see cute. But as they get older, they want to display their own style. And naturally, if they approve of their clothing they’ll be more apt to approve of having their picture taken.

My middle girl blindsided me with that one during our most recent photo session. She wanted her hair in a ponytail and I said no I wanted it down. She wished her tights didn’t match her younger sister’s dress and she would have preferred the headband I bought for my oldest girl instead. Can you say middle child???

As a result, the whole session was a struggle with her. I learned my lesson the hard way on that one.

The forth is, don’t attempt a long photo session with a change of outfit. My girls are usually done taking photos after about thirty minutes – and sometimes much less. Lori offers 30-minute mini session for a fixed price where you get a CD of all the photos. I think more photographers should offer this. It’s perfectly kid friendly.

Fifth, schedule photos for a time of day that is a good for your kids. Earlier in the day works best for us, before little ones naps get missed, and children approach the cranky dinnertime hours. For the older children be mindful of a time before they get involved in other play, and don’t want to be interrupted from doing something more fun. Who wants to stop playing in the dirt to go get dressed for photos?

In the appearance department I feel like it’s also worth noting – that runny nose seasons are impossible to avoid. So accept that and keep tissues handy. Photos of large sizes show every little detail!

I asked Lori Anderson for some advice on things parents can do when taking professional photos with kids, and this is what she said.

Try not to stress. Be calm, because the kids feel a parent’s stress.

While having boundaries is important, be sure not to over react to a child’s behavior during photos. A child who gets upset and cries for being fussed at is not going to yield good results.

For clothes, keep it simple and comfortable. Children do much better if they are comfortable.

Play it up and make the idea of taking photos seem fun. Look at photos from the last session, in preparation. A great idea is to give little ones a play camera so they are comfortable and know what is going on.

Make sure you work with someone who specializes in kids. Just because they are good at weddings, etc. doesn’t mean they have the patience to work with kids.

Don’t practice “cheese.” It is a bad word! It gives a strange smile.

It is okay to offer a “reward” to the kids. Portraits are very important to a parent and it doesn’t hurt to do that. As long as it’s a small treat, not too over the top or they will come to expect that.

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Here’s a little stroll down memory lane, with what turned into a huge list of my favorite pictures taken by Lori. When I think the girls are a mess and nothing good will come from a session, she always surprises me with goodies like these. It is a testament to hiring a good photographer who has patience and savvy to work with kids (Lori even has several of her own)! 

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