1. PREPARE. Get things set up BEFORE you bring the child into the photo session. This is essential as most children have extremely short attention spans when it comes to picture taking. Don’t waste any time on getting your settings and exposure right. Try taking a few practice shots with a stuffed animal to make sure you like how things are looking prior to starting with your child.

2. PUSH. Force yourself out of the formal posed shot mentality and aim to capture beautiful moments that happen in daily life. If you want it more controlled than daily life, but still relaxed, set the kids up on the bed with a favorite book and capture them reading it all together, have a picnic outside with bubbles, etc.

3. LOOK. Try new interesting angles and look at your subject from above, below, behind, through and even under things in their environment. Get down on their level.

4. PATIENCE! PATIENCE! PATIENCE! If you know your kids don’t particularly like being photographed be patient with them. Putting down the camera and giving them a five minute break can really help at times. Engage with them. If you find you are losing them quickly try talking to them, telling jokes, letting them make silly faces and then showing them a few images.

5. LIGHT. Find good natural light. If shooting in the home, choose a room with lots of windows when possible. If you’re shooting outside look for a solid patch of open shade for good even light or try for shooting during “the golden hour”*.

*What is the Golden Hour? The golden hour, sometimes called the “magic hour”, is roughly the first hour of light after sunrise, and the last hour of light before sunset, although the exact duration varies between seasons. During these times the sun is low in the sky, producing a soft, diffused light which is much more flattering than the harsh midday sun that so many of us are used to shooting in. So if it doesn’t interfere with sleep schedules or meal time try for this whenver possible. I promise it makes all the difference!

6. MANAGE. Mange your expectations. If you have more than one small child it may be a while before you get that perfect shot of all of them together, smiling and looking in the same frame. If I find this isn’t happening in a session I go back to the play time approach. Let them play together and simply observe them as they are, snapping a few shots when you can.

7. FUN! Make it fun. Sing, be silly, dance around like a fool. MAKE MEMORIES. Try not to force it, I promise this will cause all your efforts to backfire. When kids are done, they are done and no amount of bribery will get you what you want. With older kids, let them direct the process and help come up with ideas for the outfits everyone is to wear, props, poses and location.

Make it FUN! Jumping, ring-around-the-rosie, silly faces are always my go to approach to get everyone warmed up.

1. PREPARE. Get things set up BEFORE you bring the child into the photo session. This is essential as most children have extremely short attention spans when it comes to picture taking. Don’t waste any time on getting your settings and exposure right. Try taking a few practice shots with a stuffed animal to make sure you like how things are looking prior to starting with your child.

2. PUSH. Force yourself out of the formal posed shot mentality and aim to capture beautiful moments that happen in daily life. If you want it more controlled than daily life, but still relaxed, set the kids up on the bed with a favorite book and capture them reading it all together, have a picnic outside with bubbles, etc.

3. LOOK. Try new interesting angles and look at your subject from above, below, behind, through and even under things in their environment. Get down on their level.

4. PATIENCE! PATIENCE! PATIENCE! If you know your kids don’t particularly like being photographed be patient with them. Putting down the camera and giving them a five minute break can really help at times. Engage with them. If you find you are losing them quickly try talking to them, telling jokes, letting them make silly faces and then showing them a few images.

5. LIGHT. Find good natural light. If shooting in the home, choose a room with lots of windows when possible. If you’re shooting outside look for a solid patch of open shade for good even light or try for shooting during “the golden hour”*.

*What is the Golden Hour? The golden hour, sometimes called the “magic hour”, is roughly the first hour of light after sunrise, and the last hour of light before sunset, although the exact duration varies between seasons. During these times the sun is low in the sky, producing a soft, diffused light which is much more flattering than the harsh midday sun that so many of us are used to shooting in. So if it doesn’t interfere with sleep schedules or meal time try for this whenver possible. I promise it makes all the difference!

6. MANAGE. Mange your expectations. If you have more than one small child it may be a while before you get that perfect shot of all of them together, smiling and looking in the same frame. If I find this isn’t happening in a session I go back to the play time approach. Let them play together and simply observe them as they are, snapping a few shots when you can.

7. FUN! Make it fun. Sing, be silly, dance around like a fool. MAKE MEMORIES. Try not to force it, I promise this will cause all your efforts to backfire. When kids are done, they are done and no amount of bribery will get you what you want. With older kids, let them direct the process and help come up with ideas for the outfits everyone is to wear, props, poses and location.

Make it FUN! Jumping, ring-around-the-rosie, silly faces are always my go to approach to get everyone warmed up.