SNACKS SNACKS AND MORE SNACKS!
Just kidding, kind of? Non-messy (read that again please) snacks are a great option for when they need a little break or we need them to look in a certain direction. However, there are a few other tips and tricks to keep children engaged and excited for the shoot.
1. Patience and calm. Kids will be kids and I understand that as a photographer! Sometimes we need to take a minute to go down the slide or run around to get some of the wiggles out and thats okay! My style of photography is not perfectly posed, it is more candid and raw anyway, so them being themselves and interacting with you as they normally would is what I love! I will work with them (and you) to direct them in ways that will create the best images while still highlighting your best features and personalities as a family. If you are stressed and cranky, your kids will most likely pick up on that and act accordingly and it works the opposite way as well, calm and relaxed usually means calm and relaxed kids! Don't sweat the small stuff.
2. Naps. Plan naps around the time of the shoot. Don't plan a time that is right before nap time, tired and cranky doesn't make for the best pictures! We want kids to be happy and rested!
4 Have fun! I will do my best to engage the kids as much as possible and make the shoot fun for them, again I want to capture their genuine emotion and personality! So lets let them take a few silly pictures, let them pick their poses, use a funny prop or just do whatever they feel like doing in front of the camera so that when its time to take the nice family pictures they have gotten the giggles out!
4. Keep the guests to a minimum. Having to many friends or family around the shoot is a distraction to kids. If you want to have one person there just as an extra hand thats okay, but we don't need grandma and grandpa and aunt and uncle and cousin and best friends and neighbors. Too many cooks in the kitchen!
5. Have a family talk. I will probably ask you to have a conversation with your kid(s) about something random, school or movies, their favorite food, or a fun vacation! Just something random to get them relaxed and comfortable so I can capture some candid and cute expressions!
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