My Secrets to Taking Pictures of Squirmy Children

I have seen tons of posts on the internet for tips on how to take pictures of kids! I consider this my specialty. I love taking all kinds of pictures, but there is something about child or a group of children. They are so fun!

Here are 6 tips I have acquired from my own experience and from reading tips from the internet....

1. Don't say "Cheese!" 

This one is all over the internet. But it is so true! It is better to have them say anything else. You don't want a fake smile. I usually say "That's not a real smile! I think you need to be tickled." This usually is followed by a loud "No!" and then a smile.  A feather duster makes a great "tickle wand". :)

2. Let them play!

Kids are confused if you bring them to a park, and then make them sit still. Are you kidding me? Think about it from their perspective. They come to a park or an area and they want to roam! So let em! They want to explore...look at leaves, see how far they can walk before their parents want them to come back... :)

3. Stick 'em in somethin

Kids need a directive. If you sit them in the grass, sometimes that is confusing. Why am I in the grass? I love a baby in a bucket. They love it, too. Or a basket. When I took pictures of my daughter the other day, I put her in the above bucket. I loaded the bucket with books, snacks...all where the camera could not see. She would play, I would call her name, tickle her and she would smile. Genius!

4. Get "the" shot

You know. The shot. I love to take it from above. (Also flattering for women...random side note) You want their eyes to hit the light, so laying down if its a baby, sitting up if a child and looking directly at the camera. If they are 2 years older and up, I use this line I read somewhere. "There's a big green dinosaur in my camera. Can you find him?" I get the most curious expressions! 

5. Have a Plan B

Always plan for the worst, hope for the best. If the child or children is just in total meltdown mode, you need to pull out your plan B. Is it bribery? Cookies? My favorite is bubbles because parents never object. 

Can you see the cookie?

6. Capture Details

Be creative! Yes, parents want the shot. They want a smile, yes. But I want pictures of my daughter's tiny toes, chubby wrists, big bow....etc. 

So there you go. These are the things I use! The best thing to do is practice! And think like a child. What would you want to do? :)

Good luck!