Little secrets of a children's photo shoot.
We want to reveal the secret why not every professional photographer manages to do beautiful pictures child. Indeed, children's photography is a complex genre. And we will help you find the way to beautiful, original and interesting shots.
Our advice will be especially useful for parents who want to capture the unique moments of their baby’s life themselves.
By photographing your child, you will not only have a good time with him, but also captivate him and yourself with an interesting game - photography. By experimenting, you will find many interesting angles when the child looks unusual and original. The main thing is to pick up a camera more often, photograph every moment of a child’s life, every moment of an exciting game, catch live and spontaneous emotions..
Photo shoot is a game
Smile at your child, talk to him, don’t make the photo session something special. This is the same game as any event in a child’s life. The child should perceive the camera as your toy, because it is. The main thing is that he is not afraid of the camera, does not shrink or hide from it. Play with your child before shooting. And during the photo shoot, it would be nice to captivate him with a game. While he is playing, capture moments and film. Play with your child so that he feels comfortable in front of the camera, then the pictures will turn out lively and interesting.
Do everything possible to ensure that the photo shoot is not boring. If you want to capture real childhood emotions: laughter, interest, surprise, create situations where such emotions appear. Shoot - they will look beautiful in the frame. However, remember: under no circumstances force your child to do something he doesn’t want to do. Constantly observe how your child reacts to you and to the game, how his mood and behavior changes.
There is one interesting game– photographing. And not only you, but also your child will want to play. We are sure of this. Small children do not understand this, but older children are interested in the camera and the result. They want to see exactly what happens. U digital cameras There is a wonderful feature - the finished footage can be shown to the child on the screen. Keep an old digital compact camera in stock especially for this occasion. Give it to your child and teach him how to press the shutter button. Show him exactly what he did. You can take photos together. The child will become interested in photography, and you will be able to take many interesting shots and beautiful portraits of a joyful child.
Eyes are the main thing
The eyes of a child are a very important object in a child’s portrait, since they reflect his mood and the gaze of the viewer looking at the photographs is riveted to them. Always focus on the eyes. They must be sharp. However, sometimes you will want to focus on another part of the face rather than on the child's eyes, but there must be an explanation for this - your original idea.
Time and place – any
Where and when to photograph a child is not important. But best time for photography - morning and evening, when the sun has not yet risen, and the images are less contrasting than at noon. When photographing, always pay attention to the background - those objects, colors and lines that are behind the child.
The main thing is that there are no bright spots, horizontal and vertical lines crossing the child’s head. And it’s best to use a place for a photo shoot that can tell a story about the child. Try not to move too far away, capture interesting moments, and it’s good if there is a lively and cheerful expression on the child’s face.
Use natural light in the room too. Find the brightest areas, such as near a large window. Direct Sun rays soften with curtains. There shouldn't be a sharp contrast. If there is not enough light, try to do without the flash, because it is harmful to the child's eyes. The exception is an external flash aimed at the ceiling. It's better to change the camera settings, for example, increase the light sensitivity to ISO 400. And don't forget about the background. Remove unnecessary objects from the background so that there is nothing unnecessary next to the child.
The child's eye level is the most important thing
Always take photographs at the child’s eye level, even if you are planning to make your wildest fantasy come true. You can experiment, and even need to. But usually photos taken at the child's eye level look more natural and expressive. In this case, things in the frame look as if a child is looking at them, and his proportions are not distorted. To get the camera at your child's eye level, you will have to bend, crouch, or even lie down.
Shooting from the side is useful
You don’t always need to be next to your child and photograph him point-blank, force him to look into the lens, attracting his attention. Often nice photos obtained when filmed from the side. Children do not notice that they are being photographed and express such strong emotions that all that remains is to capture the moments and take many frames by turning on the burst mode. This mode is available on all cameras and is very useful. It allows you to capture multiple frames per second with a single press of the shutter button. Children are constantly on the move, they often gesticulate, and their facial expressions are unpredictable and change quickly, so the burst mode will help you capture interesting moments. After taking a series of shots, you can later select the best ones.
A funny facial expression, laughter, a sly sideways glance, sincere surprise and confusion - all these emotions captured in photographs will bring a kind smile to you and your grown-up child in a few years. You will be able to show these photographs to guests, relatives, friends and acquaintances, and they will look at them for a long time with sincere interest, because such photographs will be beautiful, original and unique.
You need to take photos more often
Take photos of your children as often as possible. Shoot not only holidays, but also everyday life. Take a lot of photographs that years later you will look at and remember these moments, although now they seem uninteresting. Take pictures of how your child wakes up and washes himself in the morning, how he eats breakfast and goes to school. kindergarten.
The child trusts you, and you are interested in beautiful children's photographs where your child laughs and rejoices. Therefore, we are confident that you will be able to photograph your child much better than a professional photographer. Take photos every chance you get. And if there are a lot of photographs, with the best of them you can make a photo book and preserve vivid memories for many years
No matter what anyone says, emotions are paramount in a photograph. May you never overwhelm the horizon, may you know how to shoot “cleanly” and correctly, may you navigate the light. But if you don’t know how to capture emotions on the fly with your camera, consider that your photos are just a pretty picture that doesn’t carry any meaning. And we all want to convey meaning with our creativity, right?
How to learn this difficult task - to catch emotions? Not everything is as complicated as it seems at first glance: just follow the principles listed below.
1. Say “Cheese!”
Let's do without this, okay?
Emotions by their nature are not static in nature, and they are based on a state that is this moment a person experiences. Sincerity never happens on command. This is always a complex component of the human mood, and I have to tell you, it is especially difficult to catch something at the moments when a person realizes that he is being filmed. Just imagine for a moment: some strange person is running circles around you, tentatively holding a huge camera with the same lens in his hands. There is very little comfort here, considering that, most likely, they are seeing you for the first time in their life. Almost everyone loves to be photographed, but at such moments this desire disappears somewhere.
The biggest mistake photographers make is saying “say cheese” or “smile” out loud. As a result, we end up with a tense facial expression and an unnatural posture. There are exceptions to the rules, but they are so rare that there is no point in discussing them.
Such “stretched” photographs undoubtedly have value for the person being photographed, but not as much as you would like, right?
2. Catch the mood
If the girl you're photographing is constantly laughing, you don't need to make her sad. I won't say it's useless, but if your goal is to capture an emotion, then this is not the right solution.
It is very important to understand the mood and temperament of the model. There’s simply no way without this! If a child, for example, is passionate about something, film it. He plays and doesn’t want to concentrate on the camera - shoot, shoot and shoot again.
Sometimes completely directing a shoot is unnecessary. The same emotion will happen, a little patience!
3. Anticipate the moment
Mom always tells you right: sudden shots are always the best.
If someone in your camera's sights is falling, running, embarrassed or jumping for joy, then just make sure you are ready to take that photo. How can I be sure? Always monitor the camera settings and your position relative to the person being photographed. Yes, yes, even in such cases no one canceled the composition.
4. All the best comes after
It happens too often that rays of sincerity begin to break through in a person only when he realizes that he is no longer being filmed. So don’t rush to put the camera down after the shutter clicks! The first five seconds after your last shot are crucial: the model relaxes, and all you need to do is just be ready to take the photo.
5. Never put your camera down
You can tell a model how to stand all day long, but there is nothing more beautiful than a simple, natural, comfortable and clean pose. And sometimes this naturalness can only be caught in pauses between complex poses at your command.
6. Oh, those eyes!
As they say, eyes are the mirror of the soul.
Whether the eyes of a person or an animal, they will always tell us the truth. It’s the same in photography: if you want to get an emotional photo, use your eyes.
Sometimes a raised eyebrow or a glance from under your forehead will tell you more than a thousand words or poses.
7. Don't forget the details
You, of course, will ask - what other details and emotions are conveyed through the eyes and face? Yes, but to enhance the effect, you can concentrate on finding interesting little things. It could be the moment when lovers hold hands, the pose of arms and legs, beads of sweat that run down the face. Just don't limit yourself and train yourself to look wider.
The emotions are wonderful. They reflect the human soul and can tell a lot. Not without your help and the help of your camera, of course :)
A little more attentiveness, concentration and reaction - and everything will be good!
- a very important holiday in the life of newlyweds. And the atmosphere of this holiday is simply overflowing with various emotions and experiences that would be worth capturing. The result of reportage shooting will undoubtedly be “live” photographs.
The photographer will try his best to display all the emotions that were experienced at the holiday. You might think that reportage photographs are the easiest to take. But this is not true, because often newlyweds and guests cannot relax knowing that they are being filmed. Therefore, many seemingly sincere moments seem forced. Besides, just reportage photography is of little interest to anyone these days. Newlyweds today also want colorful staged photographs.
To achieve natural emotions in a wedding photo, you can pre-organize a photo session with the newlyweds. This type of shooting is called love story. This is an opportunity for the couple to get to know the photographer better, and also to get a little used to the idea that a lens is constantly watching you at the celebration. In addition, photographs from such a walk can be shown at the wedding itself, as part of the program.
Usually this is a love story of lovers that touches everyone present at the holiday. But this may not be a love story, but simply a pre-wedding shoot, that is, a half-hour walk with a photographer, during which you will learn to be natural in front of the camera and not hide from the photographer, which is the most important thing.
If you are not satisfied with the “pre-shoot” option, then at the holiday, namely during a wedding ceremony or entertainment in a restaurant, you should try to forget about everything and just enjoy the fun. Then the photos will be successful. By the way, not only a professional will be filming you, but also many guests who took their cameras or video cameras with them to the holiday. So ease, naturalness and sincerity are exactly what is required from you, since you will be the center of attention.
One of the most big problems Every photographer struggles with making people smile naturally in front of the camera. You can just say "cheese". Models will end up with a forced smile that doesn't look natural or attractive. There is a huge difference between a genuine smile and a fake one.
Always take a closer look at your audience, as all people are different and require an individual approach. We have prepared 20 tips for you that you can use as a starting point and that can help you overcome the period of forced smiles.
Individual shooting
1. Start with your smile
A smile and friendly behavior are contagious. Before you ask someone else to smile, make sure you smile and communicate in a friendly manner. You yourself need to set the atmosphere, so you can get a natural smile in return.
2. Give compliments
One of the fastest and simple ways Making someone smile is a confidence booster. Observe the person and give a compliment based on that observation. This could be a beautiful dress, jewelry, or bright socks. Don't be shy about giving compliments, even if they're small!
3. Smile with your eyes
As Tyra Banks says: “Smize” or “Smile with your eyes.” Eyes are like a mirror of the soul. It is by them that we easily distinguish a genuine smile from a fake one. A forced smile involves only the lower part of the face, while a natural smile involves the entire facial expression.
4. Fake laughter
To evoke a genuine smile, the person being photographed must feel comfortable and relaxed. The best way melt a frozen smile - make him laugh. “Let's see which of us can laugh louder. On the count of three, 1, 2, 3, LAUGH!” The idea is not the laughter itself, but the effect after it. It is important to note that your mood and attitude are what will make the technique work.
5. Happy face. Stupid. Sad.
Most models respond better when you give them specific instructions on what they need to do. Help them relax. A series of different emotions will make your subject feel less self-conscious. This technique works great on both adults and children.
6. Use non-standard words instead of “cheese”
We are used to hearing standard phrases from photographers: “cheese” or “The bird is about to fly out.” Surprise them with different phrases. For example, for adults you can use “money” or “whiskey”, and for children “yummy” or “pikachu”. Use your imagination and choose phrases that suit your clients.
7. Nobody canceled the jokes
Jokes and funny stories are the most obvious way to bring a smile and lighten the situation. You need to be careful with jokes, they must be appropriate. It is unlikely that you will tell a joke at a children's photo shoot.
Question: “What is the most quick way make money as a photographer?
Answer: “Sell your camera!”
Group photo session
8. Whisper a secret to the person next to you.
The idea is for people to start communicating with each other. Ask the neighbor on your right or left to whisper a secret. This technique can cause smiles and giggles as people tend to come up with nonsensical phrases.
9. Everyone looks at each other
This is best for groups of three or more people. The reason this works is because there is no clear instruction. Nobody knows who to look at. And the result is excellent. Everyone starts smiling and laughing. And this is what we were striving for.
10. Everyone is watching...
It is very important to know the names of each person at the photo shoot so that you can approach them personally. By naming someone specific in the group, you make them the center of attention. The rest are interested in watching the reaction of the selected person.
11. Everyone is looking... at me.
Use this tip right after #8 or #9. The group has already started talking to each other, they are relaxed and have a good laugh. It's time to pay attention to the camera. You can also take it a step further by saying something playful and funny: “You guys are looking too sad! Smile! »
12. Time for fun photos
Typically, by the end of a serious group photo shoot, everyone will want to squirm a little. But the question arises, how can we all take a stupid photo together? Encourage them to start with popular suggestions and then give them freedom to express themselves. Most Popular:
— If there are glasses during the shoot, invite everyone to raise their glasses together and clink glasses.
- Various hand gestures.
— Ask them to change their pose or facial expression on each new frame.
Photo shoot Love Story
13. Find out how they met
Ask a young couple to talk about their first meeting. Talking about special and happy moments is a great way to get them to look at each other and smile.
14. Kiss on the cheek, nose or forehead
Most happy couples begin to smile out of embarrassment when asked to be intimate in front of the camera. Such simple requests for a kiss at a photo shoot can cause a wide range of emotions.
15. Ask to dance
Ask the couple to dance a little. This will allow models to take their mind off the camera and relax a little. Dancing together will also lift your spirits and bring happy smiles. And you will have the opportunity to capture real emotions.
Children's photo shoot
16. Watch with a serious face
The minute you tell kids to be serious and not laugh, you are more likely to have the exact opposite effect. It's simple but very effective method make children smile.
17. Play a game
During the photo shoot, you can invite the children to play the game, you just need to calculate the time and there must be a suitable place. Encourage them to play any age-appropriate games that will keep them entertained.
18. Let's jump together
Jumping always delights children, to be honest, and adults. Ask young models to jump as high as they can. Having thus arranged small competition jumping.
19. Stick out your tongue
Photos with your tongue sticking out are certainly not what you're trying to achieve. But if you start sticking your tongue out at children, they will respond in kind. Translate this into a competition for the longest language. Children will become cheerful, with smiles from ear to ear, which you will definitely want to capture in photographs.
20. Horns
The well-known “Victoria” gesture, meaning victory or peace. You may not even have to ask your children to do this; they will do it without you asking. Horns seem to be a universal joke that even adults use and find very funny.
In conclusion
Now you have 20 ideas to help people smile in front of the camera. All you have to do is put them into practice and use them wisely. To do this, do not forget about your clients and the atmosphere at the shoot. After all, the key to every successful photo shoot is to find mutual language with models!
You are a photographer, you even picked up a camera, attached the lens and took a couple of hundred landscape and portrait photographs. The camera settings were learned and practiced to 5 points, and a tripod, filters and several professional techniques appeared in the arsenal. It's time to move to a fundamentally new level - portrait or studio photography with real models. And it’s up to you to organize the entire frame, including the pose, hand placement, and direction of gaze. It is worth saying right away that in working with the population the ratio of professional models and ordinary people will be about 1:10, so you will have to work with completely inexperienced characters.
The process of photographing depends on the photographer on the set, both technically and psychologically. You can customize the model to fit the image, give good advice, turn on music or allow you to improvise with facial expressions and poses. An experienced photographer is a good psychologist; his task is not only to capture the desired movement and moment in the photo, but also to understand what kind of person is in front of the lens. For some it's enough to show correct posture or to cheer you up, but you come across models who have absolutely no idea what to do in front of the camera. Then you will need incredible patience and talent as an organizer.
When a model is a professional
Much easier for the master a photographer can do his job if there is an experienced model in front of the lens. She does not often arrange photo shoots, but is specially trained in the art of posing. Models are hired by clients for various purposes, most often to create advertising photographs of clothing, food, cosmetics, and jewelry. How to work with models? Your task is only to provide a detailed technical specification from the customer or tell an idea with approximate outlines of the structure of the frame. Then you only need to guide the model during the filming process. Most likely this will be enough to complete the task set by the customer.
Each model knows perfectly how to convey emotions in a frame, what poses need to be taken for maximum effect, how to show clothes or makeup in at its best and other subtleties of photography. In addition to advertising photography, you can also call a professional to hone your photography skills at first, when your own experience is not enough, and you also need to guide the person in front of the lens. The model can help you frame the shot, tell you which poses are best to shoot from which angle, and show examples from your portfolio. The only disadvantage of this situation is the price. A model must be hired in order to work. But it would be wrong to start working on a commission and on a commercial basis without experience filming real people. The result is unlikely to please you, and your reputation can be seriously damaged.
If a novice photographer shoots a professional model, it will be difficult to realize his ideas and ideas that differ from classic posing and scenes. This is why some experienced professionals invite people without education to film. This is how you get uncluttered, fresh angles and unusual photographs.
It is much more difficult for a photographer if the model is on set for the first time and does not understand how to behave and what to do. Then you have to not only do your job, but also guide the model in every possible way and suggest all the movements. Here you will need to overcome embarrassment and fear of the camera, to become more relaxed, and the photographer’s task is to contribute to this in every possible way. It is better for girls to first start with simple photo shoots without theatrical background and complex images; they need to choose clothes that are as comfortable as possible and do not restrict movement. Important! Most girls are very shy of the camera and asking them to do a nude photo shoot or with explicit poses is pointless; it will be difficult for her to loosen up in front of the lens.
A novice photographer will have to struggle not only with his emotions and fears, but also create a cozy, trusting atmosphere on the set, in which it will be easier for the model to perform the necessary movements. And advice from experienced craftsmen will help you create a comfortable environment.
In the process of preparing for work and discussing the nuances, try to remember the name of the model. When a person hears his name, it is easier for him to relax and he feels more comfortable. This little detail will allow you to immediately establish contact and will greatly facilitate the filming process for both the model and the photographer.
The rules of etiquette require communication on a first-name basis; immediately clarify how the model prefers to be treated. Respect and sincere participation are attractive. It is unlikely that anyone will like the familiar attitude and excessive importunity. The correct approach to each model can be found quickly enough, provided you are attentive and willing. And tact and natural unobtrusive tact will appear as professional skills after a couple of months of active filming. Photographers are good psychologists; everyone has to develop a number of skills and techniques for communicating with models.
Looking ahead, it can be noted that there will be discomfort on both sides regardless of the situation, the experience of the photographer and other circumstances. The first half hour of filming is spent getting to know each other, reducing fear, embarrassment and nervousness in front of the lens. And the best shots are obtained in the last 20 minutes, which is why half an hour of filming is not enough for a high-quality result.
Tip two: “Leave your problems at the studio door”
A photographer who is nervous, angry or overwhelmed with his thoughts is unlikely to be able to create beautiful photographs and build a more trusting relationship with the model. That is why the second tip sounds exactly like this, and in terms of importance it is almost in first place. Irritation and anger are easily relieved by taking deep breaths, and conscious communication and purposeful immersion in the filming process will help you concentrate on your work.
A photographer should not only be a good master working with a camera, but also a good specialist in the field acting. Very often the model cannot understand what is required of her, so you need to change places with her and by example show the correct posture, facial expression or conveyed emotion. And if you add a dose of irony and humor to the process, the atmosphere on the set will be light and relaxed.
Place the camera on a tripod, turn on delayed start, or use the remote control to film yourself in the desired pose and with the desired facial expressions. This will make it easier to show the model what exactly is required of her in a given scene.
Tip four: “Create as relaxed an environment as possible”
When people come for a photo shoot, they want to be provided with a service and have their photos taken for them. This often involves complete control of the situation on the part of the photographer. But excessive seriousness can create tightness and unnaturalness on set and in photographs. Try to help the model relax, add humor, tell stories, engage her in communication on neutral topics or talk about photography. Give the opportunity to take a break from the presence of the camera.
Music helps a lot, turn on funny catchy songs from your phone or on the speaker system, you can even dance. If costumes and scenery allow.
A novice model quickly gets tired of having to hold herself in a given image. Then the quality of the pictures decreases significantly, and the mood on the set worsens. You can take short 5-minute breaks during the filming process and give the model a rest. This will not greatly affect the total amount of footage captured, but the quality will increase significantly.
Children's photography is generally impossible without such breaks; it is even more difficult for children to concentrate on the filming process and maintain a pose and image for a long time. A game will help here; you can assign roles, invite kids to imagine themselves as fairy-tale characters, heroes, animals. Poems, songs, and counting rhymes are also suitable, for example about everyone’s favorite clubfoot bear, which you need to repeat after. Then the children will not get tired much longer, and the work process will become less stressful for both the photographer and the model.
Tip six: “Take as many pictures as possible”
In the process of posing the model, getting into character and changing positions, you need to take as many pictures as possible. Unexpected shots often turn out even better than staged shots because the model is more relaxed during breaks. In addition, you can adjust the frame, composition, and camera settings, all the time adapting to changing conditions. This will save time on “sighting” shots and selecting optimal combinations of settings.
The output will be much more raw material that can be processed. This significantly increases the chance of selecting pictures for work, and will also increase the selection of photographs from the same angle if you need to correct individual details and combine elements into one image.
This recommendation is also suitable for experienced models. With the music on and a hint from the photographer, it will be easier for the model to move from pose to pose if you can add something of your own. Encourage improvisation within reasonable limits; the results may surprise you. Don't stop taking pictures, move around the site to catch the most interesting angle.
It is difficult for a professional model to move away from memorized movements and standard poses, so improvisation helps to get fresher and more interesting photographs.
Tip eight “Say compliments and praise the model”
To get beautiful, bright shots, the model needs to be praised and encouraged at all stages of shooting. To do this, you will have to oversee the preparations, make sure that your makeup, hairstyle and clothes are perfect. Give compliments during the filming process, show finished photos on the camera screen and celebrate successful moments. With increased self-confidence, all work will be simplified, the model will relax and stop being shy in front of the lens. The main thing here is not to overdo it, so as not to cause a backlash, and for this you need to be attentive and subtly feel the mood.
Tip nine “Listen to the wishes of the model”
In some cases, you can discuss the details of the shooting with the model and periodically consult during the work process. You can immediately clarify which side is better to shoot from, how it is more convenient to work and other questions. This will create additional trust in the photographer and will not force you to follow all wishes 100%.
We can explain right away what we are doing first, as the model wants, and then as the photographer sees it, so that everyone wins. In 90% of cases, the second option will be better due to knowledge about the process of constructing a frame and the rules of composition. But sometimes the model also suggests interesting options, with an unclouded look.
A great option for creating a friendly atmosphere would be a mirror opposite the set. This will allow the model to look at herself and choose the most beautiful pose for herself, admire the picture and cheer herself up.
The mirror removes many psychological and muscle clamps, helps straighten your hair or see from the outside an ugly facial expression or an unnatural pose. The model will immediately see how to stand or how to turn, which will help greatly facilitate the filming process.
Photographer and model, profitable cooperation
Filming is a complex, time-consuming process for all participants, despite its apparent ease and simplicity. The photographer gives his all, straining all his communication capabilities, including forcing all creative processes. A model, especially a non-professional one, is in a stressful, unusual situation. Makeup artists and stylists must create beautiful picture, with virtually no ability to redo accidental mistakes or do everything again in case of failure.
The professionalism and tact of the photographer and his ability to create a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere can help minimize the nervousness and tension of the process. Usually everything comes with experience, and after six months or a year, every photographer has in his arsenal a bunch of techniques for working with any category of people. The main thing you should know is that you won’t be able to carry out all the shootings 100% well; there is a category of people with whom no techniques fundamentally work because of their psychological characteristics. Write your story, gain experience and correctly analyze unsuccessful situations, then you will quickly get used to the job.
