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Question from Amber: “I recently did some photos for a family and they were looking great but then in the middle of the session the three year old just started screaming and would NOT take anymore pictures, and the parents then acted like it was my fault that we couldn’t get anymore of the family together….does anyone have any good tips for making picture taking fun for them, so this doesn’t happen next time?”
Allyson: I make sure I talk to and play with the kids and always have a few cookies to bribe them. Also, I make sure I get all of the kid shots first.
Brytknee: the easiest way to stop a child from crying is have someone take them out of the room for a little bit and then bring them back, they almost stop instantly once they’ve left the room they started crying in. aside from that i’ve never met a child that didn’t laugh when they think someone’s gotten hurt as funny as that sounds. Pretend to bonk your head and you’ll get the biggest smiles
Sheila: I always try to prepare families ahead of time, book around naps, make sure they are fed, a good mood etc. I then have the discussion about making sure they talk about the day to the child so they are as prepared as possible. Talk about bribes and rewards. Make sure they don’t stain or anything, maybe not red suckers..lol I also explain sometimes the magic doesn’t happen and in no way is it a reflection of photography or parenting skills. It’s good to let the child warm up and take breaks if needed. Sometimes it’s go with the flow!
Pat: Load Disney’s “Hot Dog” video on your iPhone…it works miracles!
Michele: Interact with the little ones. Play with them and be super silly. Give them breaks to have a snack and free play. But, when the little ones are done, they’re done! There’s no changing their minds. So learn to work quick and get good shots before that happens. I work a lot with little ones.
Brian: It also helps to work around the kids schedule. If the parents know that they are usually tired or its their naptime at 2pm; then plan accordingly to that. If the kid is cranky from waking up or is tired because they need a nap; they will less likely be willing to cooperate. Also if you make it into a game; it may entice a kid to want to take the picture.
Sheila: Don’t book when they are teething…lol
Tom: Most of the time the parents make it worse….I tell them in advance not to interfere if a young one acts up…most of the time I am able to handle it…if u know your way with kids…this is a tip for the future.
Amanda: I do that family shots first especially if the point of the session is for family photos. I always start with all the family first, then break it down to just kids at the end. I look at it as a bonus.
Sheila: I have a clause in my contract for something like if a catastrophic thing happens, on my side or theirs that they get 1 free reshoot and nothing more.
Angela: I always tell parents to take the most important photos first…so if they really want family pics then we do those first and leave the individual photos for last. Parents also have to have a realistic expectation of how long toddlers will actually handle doing photos.
Jenna: Like Allyson said, getting kid shots first is a great idea. Bring something fun to play with. I don’t bring treats because not all parents appreciate their children being bribed with food. Sometimes, I will ask them ‘do you think I can balance this _____ on my head?’ and then make a big deal about trying to balance a toy or something before it falls off. Or I hand them a pinecone (if we are outside) and say ‘can you hit that tree?’ Sometimes it seems like the more the parents try to calm them down, the worse it gets. I try to keep things light and easy and focus on the family interacting rather than a bunch of specific poses. That seems to help.
Nicole: Put something along the lines in your contract which I have in my contracts i bought from BP4U, that whether or not they are happy with their hair, clothing, if they are late, fill in the blank, that that is out of the photographer’s control, and if they want to re-book another shoot they will have to pay for another shoot. BP4U also has something in their contract pack along the lines of because of (Fill in the blank) the pictures may not come out as the same quality that you have seen in my portfolio or may not have as many images as promised due to uncooperative members participating in the photo shoot. It is not your fault that their children are having a tantrum and should not have to spend free time accommodating them. Sometimes bringing candy might help motivate the children to finish out the rest of the session. Bottom line it is the parents responsibility that their children are acting up not yours.
Shanyn: I ask the parents ahead of time why kind of treats they allow them to have. I bring a small bag of either fruit snacks or sugar free candy or fruit or chips and offer it to them if they are being grumpy if they can be good for x more time.
Kelsey: Yup brig them. I always give them suckers etc after the session. Just ask the parents before hand!
Kristen: When I work with families with you kids – I usually will ask what their priority shots are and make sure to get the young ones done first (or give them a few minutes while I work with other kiddos). If absolutely nothing turns out, I will offer to shoot again. I want the customers to be happy and want to enjoy the session — and hopefully come back again! Sorry you had a rough appointment!
Cheryl: Priority first:) …..but kids love bubbles….I do a couple family then youngest to oldest individual….then some groups and then maybe a few more family for good measure…..bubbles have saved my pics though!
Sarah: Sometimes I ask the kids to arrange the family for me – some kids love it because they feel more involved. They also tend to get some cute group shots for me because everyone finds it adorable.
Cortney: I usually bring little marshmallows or fruit snacks with me. And if they do get antsy and are tired of taking photos, start taking some of mom and dad, and the kids usually will start to get involved a little later since all the attention is taken off of them at that time. 😉
Christy: With toddlers and infants, I make sure to get the must have shots within the first 15 minutes or less. And I make sure they schedule for a time that best for that child – don’t interrupt nap, meal, snack or be too late in the day.
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