Shooting kids

Mox · August 26, 2009

(Only on a photo forum can you get away with such a title... :wink)

Hi! I'm hoping some of you experienced portrait photogs might help me out. I've been hired to shoot family portraits of a couple, their 6 year old twins (1 boy, 1 girl), and their family dog next month. While not my first paid shoot, it will be my first of its kind. My others have been equestrian in nature, with minimal posing, and involved older subjects, so I'm definitely entering unfamiliar territory.

The client knows I haven't done this before, but seems happy to offer his family up to be my guinea pigs. I'm planning to shoot on-location with natural light (fill flash where desperately needed, but I really prefer natural if it's not too harsh). I'm looking for a park with some structures to incorporate for posing, and hoping to be creative for them. I don't want cardboard poses and fakey smiles from the kids.

So that's the background - here's the question: any advice for interacting with a couple of 6 year olds? Do you guys bring toys, or advise that they do, or are 6 year olds too old for that? (I genuinely enjoy kids, but it's been a while since I've been around any that age.) Additionally, any advice for encouraging interaction with the parents? I actually think shooting just the kids would be simpler. With horses I prefer to guide and manipulate as little as possible - my style is pretty natural - but, yeah, these are people, eh? :]

Any other advice is more than welcome. I plan to sit down with all of them + the dog (who is apparently nervous around strangers) just to chit chat and get to know their personalities a bit first. And to hopefully make friends with the dog, so he's not looking like he wants to bolt in all the pics!

This is probably the most important thing I've got on my plate business-wise. I'm just getting started, and if I do this well, he'll be a very important contact. I don't want to screw it up!!

Thanks so much!

Dancer

Scott_Quier · August 26, 2009

Interacting/with the kids (the following has worked with me, except for when dealing with seriously ADD/ADHD children - then all bets are off).

Most children will behave and respond better to a stranger (when in they feel safe - like with parents around or in a trusted setting) than they ever will for their parents. It's the old saw about "familarity breeds contempt". So ...
If you treat kids with respect, you will often find they will respond in kind.
Don't talk down to the kids, but explain what you want/need in clear terms.
Sometimes, that doesn't work and you have to help them position themselves. Ask them (not the parents) if you can touch them to help them move into the needed pose. And then do so gently. Remember, it's all about treating them with respect.
Toys - I'm guessing here, but I would think limiting it to just one or two would be appropriate.
- If you want to get shots of the kids interacting with the toys, you bring something they haven't seen before - children tend to be naturally inquisitive and you may end up with a lot of keepers as they investigate the new toy(s). I would bring one for each as I don't think you want to handle the children fighting over the toy. If they bring a toy or two, you may have problems getting them to interact with the toys as they would be "old hat" to them and, therefore not so interesting.
- On the other hand, if you want to use the toy(s) as props, then having them bring something that "is them" and that they are familiar with may make life easier as they will tend to ignore the "old" toys.

It helps to enter into the session with a clear idea of what you are going to try to get. A plan, even if you end up deviating from it, helps a whole lot.

I think I would get the posed shots out of the way early, while the children are less tired. Then, when they start to get a little squirmy, I would try get the "natural" shots of the family playing together.

For the dog .... bring dog treats or ask the family to do so, but in any case ask permission to offer the dog treats before actually doing so. Some owners can be a little protective. To get the dog comfortable around you, bribe the dog ... Dogs are slaves to their stomachs

. My wife's dog will do ANYTHING for a doggie treat.

HTH

WingsOfLovePhoto · August 26, 2009

Mox wrote:

(Only on a photo forum can you get away with such a title... )

Hi! I'm hoping some of you experienced portrait photogs might help me out. I've been hired to shoot family portraits of a couple, their 6 year old twins (1 boy, 1 girl), and their family dog next month. While not my first paid shoot, it will be my first of its kind. My others have been equestrian in nature, with minimal posing, and involved older subjects, so I'm definitely entering unfamiliar territory.

The client knows I haven't done this before, but seems happy to offer his family up to be my guinea pigs. I'm planning to shoot on-location with natural light (fill flash where desperately needed, but I really prefer natural if it's not too harsh). I'm looking for a park with some structures to incorporate for posing, and hoping to be creative for them. I don't want cardboard poses and fakey smiles from the kids.

So that's the background - here's the question: any advice for interacting with a couple of 6 year olds? Do you guys bring toys, or advise that they do, or are 6 year olds too old for that? (I genuinely enjoy kids, but it's been a while since I've been around any that age.) Additionally, any advice for encouraging interaction with the parents? I actually think shooting just the kids would be simpler. With horses I prefer to guide and manipulate as little as possible - my style is pretty natural - but, yeah, these are people, eh? :]

Any other advice is more than welcome. I plan to sit down with all of them + the dog (who is apparently nervous around strangers) just to chit chat and get to know their personalities a bit first. And to hopefully make friends with the dog, so he's not looking like he wants to bolt in all the pics!

This is probably the most important thing I've got on my plate business-wise. I'm just getting started, and if I do this well, he'll be a very important contact. I don't want to screw it up!!

Thanks so much!

Dancer

Don't sweat it. 6 year olds are usually fun! I would be more worried about the dog! 6 year olds..they can take direction usually pretty well and are mostly not into the sullen thing yet. They like to actually be treated like adults so the more responsibility you can give them in helping and telling them what you are doing along the way. Show them the pictures on the back of the camera and explain some of the techy stuff if they seem interested. Break the ice with some funny shots. Tell them to look up at the parents and give them a mean look or a pout or something like that. They will think that is pretty cool. For posing stack them up, look through google images for some interesting other things. And absolutely try to get the shot of the parents walking away holding the kids hands and the same with just the 2 of them. Those always tug at the family heart strings. Absolutely ask though what they are looking for in their portrait. Is it going to be a big blow up on the wall and more formal? I have found that what I think as the artist is totally different than what the client wants.

Hope this helps.... good luck and post when you are done!

Mox · August 26, 2009

Great advice about getting the more formal stuff first. I can see that being very important. I'd like to get a combo of individual, kids only, dad/daughter, dad/son, mom/daughter, mom/son - a little of everything. Are your clients usually pretty patient and willing to stick around a while, or do you find that they're in a hurry, and want to get in and out? I'm hoping this will be fun!

Oddly enough, I'm more comfortable making friends with the dog than the kids! (I was a vet up until 3 months ago... I've lost my ever-loving mind! D'oh.)

And yes, I agree that a plan, and some pre-visualization are a very good idea. I'll work on that.

Thank you so much for taking the time!

Mox · August 26, 2009

WingsOfLovePhoto wrote:

Don't sweat it. 6 year olds are usually fun! I would be more worried about the dog! 6 year olds..they can take direction usually pretty well and are mostly not into the sullen thing yet. They like to actually be treated like adults so the more responsibility you can give them in helping and telling them what you are doing along the way. Show them the pictures on the back of the camera and explain some of the techy stuff if they seem interested. Break the ice with some funny shots. Tell them to look up at the parents and give them a mean look or a pout or something like that. They will think that is pretty cool. For posing stack them up, look through google images for some interesting other things. And absolutely try to get the shot of the parents walking away holding the kids hands and the same with just the 2 of them. Those always tug at the family heart strings. Absolutely ask though what they are looking for in their portrait. Is it going to be a big blow up on the wall and more formal? I have found that what I think as the artist is totally different than what the client wants.

Hope this helps.... good luck and post when you are done!

Thank you - that's great advice about 6 year old psyche, and exactly the kind of thing that brings my blood pressure down.

I'll be putting together some package options for them, and will definitely discuss what they're looking for when we go over the packages. Thank you!

And thanks for the luck - I'll take all I can get. And will definitely post pics. Unless they totally suck!

Shooting kids

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