Let them wiggle, let them be silly, let them get comfortable
One of the biggest things that hinders me as a family photographer is not the children. It’s the parents cornering their children. Thats kinda a bold statement, but it’s true. Oftentimes we go in guns blazing with this really intense energy of cooperation for our kids – and depending on the kid – they are going to be more obstinate knowing and feeling the energy you are putting off.
My camera is different than a smart phone in that I can take about 3-5 frames per second. That means I catch ALL the in-between faces and even if someone is crying they have to come up for air. Mean, a little, but true.
I’ve only concluded one session where I thought – “well that was a total flop and we will have to reshoot” – The poor girl was cold, overwhelmed and the more we pushed the worse it got. As I was walking to my car the girl had calmed down and started to follow a trail down to the river. Camera in hand I followed her, let her lead and once she was in her element the puffy red eyes softened and we were able to get portraits of her as well as a few more of the family where she wasn’t wailing.
My game plan for a family session is to get to know you and your littles a bit, be silly and let them get comfortable, and then watch and let them lead a bit if I’m sensing some apprehension or stubbornness towards the camera. Obviously I can’t take pictures of them if they are doing circles around me, but we utilize games / prompts like “red light green light” and “who can laugh the loudest” to get wiggles out (and some fantastic pictures in the process). So please please PLEASE let them wiggle! I’ll let you know when it’s time to reel it in a bit!
