The Vision
While working with kids can definitely have it’s challenges, I also think it can be incredibly fun. I’m always drawn to the freedom & abandon with which children live their lives. For this reason, I often feel that there’s a much greater chance of me capturing their true personalities through my lens. Many of my clients tell me how much they love candid shots, yet as adults, as soon as we see a camera, all natural & “candid” interactions go out the window & we (myself included) instantly become stiff & irrationally aware of every single movement & expression we make. So let’s take a lesson from Declan & loosen up & allow ourselves to be imperfect rather than obsessing over showing only our “perfectly” unnatural selves.
The Location
When I arrived at Michael & Sherissa’s home, Vander was just waking up from his nap & his older brother Declan was still asleep. Vander is such a sweet, calm & content baby. And his older brother Declan is a huge ray of sunshine. He’s got the most amazing blonde hair & the cutest, most enthusiastic & infectious smile you’ve ever seen.
If I can offer one tip of advice, when it comes to family sessions, it’s crucial to go with the flow. Young children don’t have long attention spans & forcing them to sit still & “look at the camera & smile” for long periods of time will only result in stressed out parents, an upset child (almost always producing a tear stained face) & images that feel very stiff & forced. When photographing children I try to keep things moving as quickly as possible. Keeping the kiddies involved & entertained will make it a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Keep the mood fun & playful – interactive & relaxed. Michael & Sherissa did an amazing job of this. And don’t feel like you can’t go back to a certain spot or pose once you’ve already tried it. Sometimes a simple playful moment can allow for a quick emotional reset thus producing a much better result. And at the end of the day, the playful & interactive images are the ones that you’ll look back on with the fondest memories.
