How to Photograph children like the professionals

February 25th, 2009 | Photography

baby_boy

By: Greg Coggiola

In this digital age it seems every time you turn around someone has a camera in their hand. More often than not, it is some proud parent photographing little Johnny or Sarah who have either reached some milestone in their short lives or performed like a Hollywood actor for all to see.

You’ll want to keep taking pictures of the kids over the years, as your children grow and you will catalogue them in either a traditional album or maybe create your own family website full of all the best moments in little Johnnys life. Better still use a software program like FlipAlbum to create a 3D page flipping album on your computer.

I have been photographing other people’s children as well as my own for the last 15 years and would like to offer a few tips to save you having to delete so many images off your cameras memory card because they are just not good enough.

As a professional photographer I find the pictures that sell the most are the natural or candid images. I figure if they sell the most, then they are the type of pictures parents like.

Depending on the age of your children, will govern the approach that is best used to capture images you’ll be proud to display.

Babies are best photographed in the mornings, straight after a sleep and a feed. Resist the urge to spend any more than 15 or 20 minutes in a single session with them as they will get annoyed with all the unusual attention. You will become frustrated and will find your self just clicking away on the camera in order to convince yourself that your morning hasn’t been a complete waste of time. However your images will convey how the morning really was.

Lay baby in their cot with all the clutter removed and just a plain light coloured or white sheet surrounding them. If possible try and turn their face towards a window where there is some natural light falling on them and if at all possible TURN THE FLASH OFF!

I find the best images of babies are those where there are lots of natural skin showing, as it allows the viewer to concentrate on baby and not be distracted by fancy, colourful or even gaudy clothing.

Toddlers are best photographed outdoors. Let them run free and be prepared to follow them around. It doesn’t hurt to go to a nice shady park and take along a few familiar toys that may help placate the more overexcited toddler. A beach or river location can make a great back drop and you will find the toddler will become engrossed in their surroundings and forget all about misbehaving or acting shy in front of the camera. If you do go to an out door location try and get there first thing in the morning or about an hour before sunset, as the light is so much more forgiving and will complement your images not wash out highlights or create deep shadows under eyes etc.

If you have pets you can take so many appealing pictures of the children playing with or petting them. Just watch a child play and then take a series of pictures, maybe a few closer up than others.

For primary school aged children, indoors or out doors is fine as they are usually easier to reason with and follow instructions. Maybe a game of dress up with their friends or siblings will lead to a moment you will be able to embarrass them with at their 21st Birthday. :

Perhaps your children have a favourite hobby or sport that they are involved in. They will feel more comfortable posing, as they are doing something they obviously enjoy.

Remember to get in close to capture those magic smiles or moments, that may even make you consider a career as a budding professional photographer! One rule I always remind anyone with a camera is …Take 2 steps closer to the subject than you normally do and try orientating your camera in a portrait mode. Don’t be stuck holding your camera as if everything you are shooting is a landscape!

Teenagers are a unique breed and require a little nurturing to co-operate. They are best when they are in an environment that they feel comfortable in, wearing clothes that they have chosen. If the clothes are not really what you had in mind, gently persuade them to bring along a couple of options which of course includes at least one change that you approve of.

They don’t like people watching, not even family, so make sure you can go to a fairly quite location and ensure that there are no bystanders watching on. If your lucky, you’ll have 30 to 45 mins, if you are prepared. That is, you know exactly where you are going and how you are going to be positioning or modelling the teenagers. Often they are more willing if they get to take their friends with them. Just make sure the friends’ portraits don’t dominate the precious time you will have to photograph your teenager. You can be assured it will be a long time before you get another opportunity.

Greg has been photographing children and families in the Sydney greater metropolitan area for 15 years and also offers a full video service www.sydneyweddingphotographer.com.auwww.creativeclips.com.au

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