How to Get Great Photos at Any Age...

Over the years, I've noticed that kids go through different phases as PhotographEEs....

Raise your hand if you've noticed some of these in your kids' pictures over the years...

TODDLERS...

in the throws of Stranger-Danger (SO healthy and normal, and also SO difficult to photograph :)

they're on-the-go with their new found legs!

Just getting a non-blurry, non-crying photo is a major feat! :)

Though honestly, sometimes those crying photos are just SO precious... they're the ones you'll feature on their Senior Yearbook Page in 16 years :)

EARLY CHILDHOOD (age 2-5-ish)...

They LOVE to play... natural expressions and pure joy comes so easily!

For the shy kiddos... they'e unabashedly shy. No fake smiles there! Those shy, thumb-sucking photos are the ones that'll bring a tear to your eye 20 years from now.

PRE-ADOLESCENCE...

When kids learn the "shoulds" of taking pictures... we'll be talking and laughing, then AS SOON AS I hold the camera up, that beautiful natural smile "BOOM" becomes a CANNED FAKE SMILE. Over and over. (It's hilarious to watch!)

TWEENS AND TEENS...

That awkward stage: letting your teeth show when smiling somehow becomes UNTHINKABLE.

And for some boys... smiling AT ALL is unthinkable.

The Embarrassed Smiler... who turns beet red and tries unsuccessully to stiffle blasts of giggles.

The later more confident teen, who's able to smile and joke naturally with poise!

As a PARENT, all YOU want are great photos that'll keep making you smile 50 years from now.

Here are some tips for getting great photos at any age:

1. Embrace The Stage!

Whichever of those categories your kiddo fits, just EMBRACE IT.

Whether they're giving you bawling or shy photos, cheesy fake smiles or uncontrollably silly ones... know that it's fleeting.

Before you know it they'll be grown healthy adults with great (but unmemorable) smiling skills! Never again will you get these awkward smiles back, so shrug your shoulders and enjoy them while you can!!

2. For little ones with Stranger Danger

or anxious kids who fear new situations with them, watch this video with them before Picture Day, and let them know it's okay to play and smile and chat and have fun with their photographer!

3. For older kids with the canned smile...

let them know they don't HAVE to whip out a fake smile! (LOL)

It's okay for them to chat and just interact normally with their photographer...

it's the photographer's job to snap away and catch them in a smiling moment. Their only job is to just relax, have fun, and be themselves.

4. For the teens and tweens who won't smile...

tell them how beautiful/handsome/stunning their smile is!!

Let them know that their whole face lights up when they smile naturally and show their teeth.

(It may take a lot of convincing, so tell them over and over... and when you see those natural smiles let them know how gorgeous they are! It also helps if you get their friends on board with letting them know what a gorgeous smile they have! :)

5. For anyone who's self-conscious of their photos (adults included)...

view your photos with someone positive and supportive and let them tell you what they love about your photos!

(Often times we get so hung up on the things we're self conscious of that we miss the truly beautiful things that everyone else sees in our photos!)

Your job then is to actually BELIEVE them... LET yourself see what everyone else sees and loves about you!

And if that's STILL hard for you, book a session with me, and I'll help you through it! You're beautiful and you deserve to see it! :)

LEARN MORE ABOUT A SESSION WITH MIDORI JOY

0 Comments