Nailing shoots with little ones.
I have no secret sauce on how to get kids to behave, I’m as bad as them sometimes! But, over the years I’ve realised a few things that do and don’t help!
Don’t sweat it.
If you’re stressed, the kids will be stressed. They feed off your vibes.
The more you ask them to smile, be good, look at the camera, the more they will resist!
I know you know this, they’re your kids right? But even though you know they will resist, we always still try to control the situation a bit because we want those happy smiles.
Take a breath, it’s not a problem if they get cranky, if they need a break, if they want a snack, or if they need a moment to regroup. They are just being themselves and that’s absolutely fine with me.
Have fun
The biggest thing is to play, laugh and have fun. Playing is the simplest way to enjoy your session.
Don’t expect your kids to smile, make them smile! Fart jokes, chasey, helicopter spins, singing songs, quietly snuggling, whatever feels right!
Speed
I don’t waste time, we don’t spend forever doing the same thing. We work in short bursts, because let’s be honest, no one wants someone snapping a camera in their face the entire time! We chat, I get to know you, we talk about what you all love to do together!
If your kids do lose interest or get upset, we give them space and distract them with a new game. We might pick flowers, count shells, collect leaves. We might make shapes from clouds, but we change approach and then we try again.
I know some kids don’t last long in a shoot, and I will tell you when we have enough for your gallery. I never put my camera away until I get in my car because the end is usually where everyone relaxes and we get the best shots!
Go with the flow
I’ve only had one shoot where a little one was so out of sorts we decided to stop the session and reschedule to another day. Usually we can find something to put a smile on their face! I always try to nail that family shot you want straight up and then we go with the flow, led by your littlies, even if that means swimming in the river or the ocean 😊
