Trying to get kids to take amazing photos can be a nightmare at times! I have a 3-year old and 4-year old and they love to do anything BUT take great photos. In fact, they would much rather scowl, fight one another, focus elsewhere or exercise their goofiness. Nevertheless, I have managed to get some stellar pictures of them over the years and I wanted to share a few tips and tricks on how you can accomplish that as well. Whether you are the photographer or you are preparing to take your kids to get photos, this information will be valuable to you!

Bribery

Now, let me preface this by adding that I am not by any means speaking about the criminal type of bribery here. This word has always had a negative connotation attached to it but, for this purpose, I think it is one of the most effective actions, especially when dealing with little humans at a photo session. Do your kids love the playground? Do they love ice cream? MINE DO, so I leverage those things and offer it up as a reward if they cooperate. Pro Tip: Be sure to follow through with whatever you promise. Of all the things kids remember, they will remember when you fail to deliver on a promise!

Sneak a few shots

Kids have a relatively short attention span. Even if you tell them you are going to do a photoshoot, about 5 minutes after you’ve said it, they are already onto the next thing in their minds! Additionally, kids are naturally fidgety! You can expect that kids will always revert back to what they know best and that is playing and being curious. My advice is to let them do it and snap a few sneak shots while they are in their element. You can get some posed shots if you are quick enough but, by letting them be “them”, you can capture their beauty and authenticity as they romp around and whatnot.  

Snacks on Deck

You can feed your kids beforehand but, I’m telling you, SNACKS ARE LIFE! That’s all my kids ever want and it makes them happy so, I like to bring things like fruit snacks, cutie oranges, granola bars and juice boxes to hold them over if I feel like the shoot may take a little longer than I originally planned. Another thing I love to do is bring little chocolates to the shoot to reward them with once I’ve obtained my pictures. If an Idea could win an award, this would be it! Bring snacks, it Works. Like. A. Charm!!

Play with them

This was actually a Pro Tip I received from my husband. Kids respond better to adults when the adults are perceived as “fun”. I had to learn this the hard way. I’ve done a few shoots with my kids that have left me irritated and exhausted. My kids would’ve much rather been running wild and climbing on things than being perfect and angelic models for my photoshoot. If you are playful with your kids and you make the shoot fun for them, you’ll be surprised at how they respond. So go ahead and get ready to do a little dance, become a tickle monster, or get down on their level and see what happens. The shoot may take a little longer but, its two birds with one stone. I’ll raise my hand for quality time with my kids and great pictures any day.

I hope these little tips and tidbits help you in your next photo endeavor with the littles. It has helped me tremendously! Try one or try them all, either way; I would love to hear how these have worked out for you! Leave your experiences in the comments.

Written by: Teah Ojeda