Parents love photos of their children. Many pay professional photographers to take pictures of each of their children for birthdays and several holidays every year. These proud parents tend to buy a large amount of photos and share the pictures with everyone they know. While sharing their children’s pictures, they tell about the photographer that took these great photos. If a professional photographer can successfully photograph children, their business will make more money, build more clients, and get more free advertising. Here are ten strategies to guarantee better photos of children?

Before the shoot

1. Schedule the child to take photos during a part of the day they are usually happy. Taking photos at nap time will be a catastrophe for mom, child, and photographer.
2. Go to the client. Schedule to do the pictures in the child’s home or at a park in which he loves to play. This way he will be relaxed and happy.
3. Incorporate a “toy” in the set. For example, while taking Easter pictures put beans in the plastic egg in the scene. When the child plays with the eggs, they will get her attention, make her smile, and they fit in the scene.
4. Call and talk to the parent before the shoot. Ask about what the child likes and exactly what type of photos the parent desires. This saves a little time at the shoot that the child would normally be waiting. Encourage them to bring a favorite toy or item to make their child feel more at ease.

At the shoot

1. Be on time. No child likes to wait. When waiting shoes come off, hair gets messy, and frustration levels escalate.
2. Take a few minutes to get acquainted with the child. Get on their level. Talk to them. Play a little until the child appears comfortable.
3. Ask the parents to leave. Children often behave better when parents leave. It also keeps the parent’s stress level down and saves you from hearing them shout commands at the child. Some children may be upset with the parent leaving. In that case of course they can stay.
4. Be nice and friendly. Laugh. Have fun and relax. Kids respond to the attitudes of the people around them.
5. Position the camera on the child’s level. Put the camera at the height of the child’s eyes instead of the height of the photographer. This creates more natural and appealing pictures
6. Get out from behind the camera. This will require a remote trigger, but it allows there to be more interaction between the photographer and child. The child will be less distracted or scared by the large camera and will respond better to the photographer resulting in more authentic smiles.

These strategies bring great results when working with children. Try incorporating just a few into a children’s shoot. Having a plan to making great photos with children makes the session more fun and less stressful for everyone. At the end of the day, parents and children leave happy. Happy parents bring free advertising, come back with their next photographic needs, and refer new clients.