7 Tips that GUARANTEE Great Kid Behaviour for Your Photo Session - Family Photography Kitchener-Waterloo
When it comes to a family photo session, parents usually worry: how can I be sure my kids will behave?
Here are my 7 best tried-and-true tips to guarantee good behaviour from your kids.
1. Help them know what to expect.
Prepare them in the days leading up to the session that your friend Erin (especially if they don’t know me, it helps if you let them know I’m a friendly face!) is going to come over (or meet up with you) with her camera and take some pictures. Tell them we’re going to hang out and have some fun together. Keep it low-key. Focus on the fun we’re going to have together, so that the whole session is a great experience. You might even show them some photos from when they were younger - kids love to see themselves in photos!
2. Check your own expectations too.
You want to capture the best side of your kids, no question. It’s equally important, and it will mean you love your images so much more, if we also capture their personalities and what they’re really like at this age and stage. It’s all about the balance between creating images you love because they’re beautiful, and images you love because they truly capture your kids at this moment in time. So ask your kiddos to behave and follow directions, but don’t expect a complete change from who they usually are. You won’t love those photos as much as you love the ones where you recognize the kids in them for all the best things about them! Whether they’re funny, shy, or a total ham, let’s catch them at their best and truest.
3. Avoid the temptation to ask them to look at the camera or say cheese.
It creates awkward facial expressions (you know that “cheese face”) and reminds them that I’m taking pictures, which makes their response uncomfortable and less genuine. Instead, let me make a connection by talking with them. It takes a little bit longer to get them to look right into the camera, but we’ve got time to let them warm up. You’ll be happier with their expressions if I make a real connection with them, and bring out some genuine feeling.
4. Let your kids focus on the activity at hand, and relax and have fun without the distraction of treats or bribes.
This one might seem counter-intuitive, because bribes work for a reason, but let me explain. The idea of a treat that might come their way can be so all-consuming for kids that they can’t think about anything else! Plus, most treats that kids go for as bribes leave some kind of residue on their faces or in their teeth (hello, goldfish crackers and chocolate!) that makes for a bit of an editing nightmare afterward, and in some cases, can ruin an otherwise perfect image. Unless your session revolves around food (like baking, or making pancakes, or having a picnic) please make sure your kids are fed beforehand and don’t offer them snacks during the session.
5. Unless you’re okay with them appearing in the photos, it’s a better idea to leave favourite toys at home or in the car.
They can be really tough to give up in unfamiliar situations, and the last thing we want is a crying kid! It’s much better to give them something to do during the photo session, like playing on the playground, going for a walk, or blowing bubbles in the backyard. Or let’s build your session around a family activity you enjoy, like making s’mores (where chocolate on their cheeks is expected!) or building with blocks. We can choose something that will keep their hands busy, and use that as a way to document this moment in your family’s story.
6. Try your best to ease up on any pressure or tension you might be feeling about how your kids might behave.
This one is tough, but I promise, it’s worth it. I know how much work and planning goes into a session on your part: the timing, the preparation, the wardrobe, the hair brushing, the face washing, the promises that it will be fun and worth it (and it totally will!) and I completely understand how badly you want the session to just go well. I’m on your team! Let me take some of that stress and worry away from you so that you can relax and enjoy the session you’ve worked hard to put together. Believe me: if you’re tense or anxious, your kids will sense it. And unfortunately, kids often respond to that particular kind of tension by acting up. So let’s take that pressure off: trust me to make the session go smoothly! And if their behaviour is heading sideways, don’t worry: I’m a parent too. I get it, and I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve to help.
7. Focus entirely on the time you’re spending with your kids, and let me worry about the photos.
This one is key, because it’s a surefire guarantee that both you and your kids will look great. You’ll be relaxed and enjoying the moment, and that’s an image you’ll want to hang on your wall to look at for years to come. Do your best to forget that I’m snapping photos of you in action, and when it’s time to smile and pose for the camera, you’ll be relaxed and ready. I know it’s a tall order, especially if you want to create some posed photos where everyone is looking right at the camera (how can you forget it’s there?) but the more focused you are on your kids, the more focused they’ll be on you. Those moments of connection are worth their weight in gold, and absolutely worth capturing. So just love ‘em up, and let me take care of the rest!
