Photographing the sassy or shy littles can be tricky, but I can help!!!!
"I can't believe you got so many beautiful images!"
I hear this so often after I deliver a session and YES! choosing the right photographer for your session IS important but we will get to that later!
Honestly, almost all children are either shy OR sassy when it comes to getting their pictures taken!
Why? Because to most kiddos, it just isn't fun! There are a few unicorns who love getting their pictures taken, but even they only love it for so long.
YOU...
- You spend hours looking for the perfect outfit...
- an entire day convincing your husband/wife to come along for photos...
- weeks "prepping" your littles for the big day...
- blood sweat and tears getting your child dressed and ready when the day finally comes...
- countless hours daydreaming of the all the specific images you will see in your gallery...
- and hundreds of dollars on your session with a photographer.
Then you get there and your little is having NONE of it. ALL of this to preserve those precious memories!!!!
STOP!
Basically, stop all of this! Let's break it down.
THE PERFECT OUTFIT...
Now this one is a bit dependent on the age of the child. But, your little one wants to be comfy and they enjoy the familiarity of the clothing they are used to or like! So, if they don't like dresses, don't buy a dress. If they don't love wearing shoes, skip 'em! If they are old enough, let them help pick out their outfit. Just do a little prep work and pick out some options of clothing that you know they will be comfortable in and works with the color palette for the session. Even better pick what they already have. My favorite session with my own kids was an impromptu session in jeans and they just had on some comfy white tees. Their hair wasn't brushed or styled and they loved it! We spent zero time stressing about their outfits! Now, I completely get wanting to buy new, I am the same way usually, and that's ok too! Just wear it beforehand a time or two! The camera is very forgiving (as long as they are not wrinkled) and the camera definitely doesn't know if the clothes are new! Speaking of wrinkles, buy wrinkle free fabric for the littlest littles (we will touch on this later)!
THE SPOUSE...
The spouse can also be tricky! Some are incredibly down for the experience. Yay you! Some aren't and that's ok too! Pictures are NOT everybody's thing, me included. If the spouse is not meant to be in the pictures and does not want to be there. Leave them home! They will only stress you and your little if they aren't in the moment! It's like taking my husband shopping with me. I JUST DON'T DO IT. I want to enjoy my shopping. I want to relax and take my time and see EVERYTHING. What I don't want is my husband standing around exuding hope that I have looked at my last row, only to express silent dissatisfaction at the entire department we haven't visited yet.
PREPPING YOUR LITTLES...
You definitely can! BUT not how you think. Just play with them, pretend you are a photographer (bonus points if you use a big black camera in front of your face). Find what makes them happy that isn't you? A special toy. A special song. People falling. Specific sounds or noises. Snacks.
If your baby prefers a calmer demeanor, tell your photographer. If your little responds well to excitement, tell your photographer!
You want your babe to focus on your photographer! Share all these tips and tricks with them so we can get those big bright-eyed shots!
They don't want to just stand there and smile! They want to play, be silly, explore the environment, feel out the photographer and HAVE FUN! Booking the right session for their age is super important too! Your photographer can help you with this!
THE DAY HAS COME...
KEEP IT CHILL! It's just another day! I know this sounds nuts but just wake up and do your thing! Those wrinkle free clothes... put them on and let your kiddo enjoy their day! Sometimes those last-minute outfit changes and/or the worries about the kids getting their outfits dirty can get that stress ball rolling! Let's face it most kiddos DISLIKE getting dressed/changed, again there are a few unicorns, but mostly they just don't get it.
Don't...
... talk or dwell on getting pictures taken.
... practice smiling on the way there (you already put in that prep work).
... threaten.
... stress about it, they sense this most of all!
...force it.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, DON'T set expectations on how YOU think the session should go!
You hired your photographer to provide you with a service and they will know how to get results! LET THEM DO THEIR JOB. They will tell you what they need from you and how to help! They likely have lots of tricks up their sleeves! NOW, we can't always pull your kiddos out of their shell but unless they are in full tantrum mode we can still get you gorgeous images! Your babies are just as beautiful without a smile, as they are with a smile! I know I have a few regular tricks that sometimes work! Sometimes we just need to take a minute and decompress, sometimes we sing songs, sometimes I let them check out my camera (my camera is usually either scary or really cool looking), sometimes we chat it up, sometimes we play with our surroundings, sometimes we say fart A LOT, sometimes we make crazy sounds, sometimes we just look plain silly. HONESTLY, the behind the scenes of photo sessions could 100% make for a bestselling comedy!!!
ALL THE TIME, I follow their lead and keep my camera at ready!
DO...
...Have a bribe plan!!! Ice Cream after, fruit snacks, new toy, visit to their favorite spot, etc. Keep this move in your back pocket for when we need it! For the littlest littles, have those snacks ready in case we need them!
...Choose the right photographer for your littles or your family.
...Choose the right type of session for your little! I FULLY believe that if you have a shy kiddo, you should book a full session so he or she has time to acclimate to the task at hand! Actually, almost ALL the time I recommend a Full Session, just know that some of that time isn't spent taking photos but rather gettin' your babe on board!
if they are busy, busy, busy, on the go, think of maybe a painting, baking, food, glitter or creek session where the kiddos have something fun to get their hands on!
...and most importantly HAVE FUN!
Our shy and sassy babes will usually come around if we just relax and go with it, but a little prep work never hurt! You just want to make sure you are doing the right prep work!
YOU, YOUR BABE, YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER and YOUR PHOTOs will be glad you did!
