by Laura Oles, Digital Photography for Busy Women
Children are notorious for being less-than-fully-cooperative when it comes to taking pictures. As the mother of twin boys, I marvel at how two kids who share the same DNA can still go opposite directions the moment my lens is in view. My theory is that this is a hidden skill kids learn in kindergarten—‘Picture Avoidance 101’—something taught between snack and recess.
With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, now is the time to prepare a plan so your kids are the picture of cooperation when the time comes to take family photos. Take these techniques on your Thanksgiving trip, and return with some fantastic family photos:
To Go Faster, Slow Down: This may sound counterintuitive but it really does work. When you’re trying to arrange a photo of your children with other family members, our instinct is to hurry and try to get everything done as quickly as possible. If you can remain calm and unhurried during the posing process, little ones are more likely to sense that calm and remain in the same state of mind.
Bring on the Bubbles: Many professional photographers keep canisters of bubbles in their studio, and for good reason—they are a great way to elicit natural smiles from children while keeping them looking toward the camera.
Mean What You Say: If your kids had a quarter for every time they hear “just one more picture” when you’re snapping those shots, they’d probably have enough money for a Toys-R-Us bender. Let them know ahead of time what to expect by asking them to stay still for five photos in a row. When it’s time to say, “Just one more,” take the last shot and keep your word. Your kids may cooperate more in the future knowing that what to expect and when it will be over so they can go back to playing Freeze Tag.
Forget Perfection: Everyone might pose perfectly and they might not; the more people you have in a photo, the trickier it can be to achieve perfection. That’s okay. If someone is looking away or one of the little ones is a bit fidgety, don’t sweat it. You’ve still captured the true essence of your loved ones and the authenticity of their smiles will show though. And that, my friends, is true picture perfection.
