Getting my 3-year-old to smile for the camera is relatively easy once I utter her three favorite words: “Okay, last one.”
Children and picture taking (or more specifically, how to get your children to smile on cue) was the topic of conversation at a recent playgroup I attended. One of the mom’s in our group was complaining about her digital camera’s “shutter lag” (that aggravating delay between the moment you press the button and the time the picture’s actually taken) and how frustrating it was to get her 3-year-old and 20-month-old to smile long enough to document their angelic grins. Unless you have a child who is constantly smiling or has the attention span of a 30-year-old then you likely share her pain.
So what’s the magic solution? What can a parent of a young child do to get his or her offspring to smile on cue?
One of the mom’s in our playgroup bribes her three boys. Another one found success in telling her 7-year-old that if he smiled for the camera during a recent photo shoot he didn’t need to get her a Mother’s Day gift. (Though, I can’t imagine that one working beyond the month of May.) At Christmastime I overheard more than a few parents at the mall threaten to withhold presents from their children if the little angels didn’t smile while on Santa’s lap. It seemed to work… for some.
I know a few professional photographers who recommend parents avoid taking portrait shots of their children all together. Rather, they suggest snapping children while they are involved in activities where smiling comes naturally. Of course, to guarantee you get that golden shot you probably need to arm yourself with an upscale camera where shutter lag is not an issue.
In a previous blog I listed a few techniques, which tend to work well with babies. Other parents I know enlist the help of family members or friends to help keep their kids focused during a particular photo shoot.
Which techniques work best for you?
Related Articles:
More Tips On Photographing Newborn Babies
Photography Potpourri—-NO To “Cheese” and YES to Hats
Telling A Story With Your Shots
More Common Sense Tips To Capturing A Frame-Worthy Picture
Common Sense Tips To Capturing Frame-Worthy Pictures