Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Lights....Camera......ACTION!

One of my absolute favorite parts of the artistic process is photographing my finished designs using models. I have always enjoyed photography (I actually met my husband in a photography class) and while I like experimenting with still shots of my accessories, there is no greater joy than seeing them come to life on an adorable little lovely!

Now its one thing to get the perfect shot or expression using an adult model, but child models are a whole different animal. Between mood swings, teething, potty breaks and snack breaks, photographing children can be challenging to say the least. Not being a professional photographer, with each completed photo session I come away with a valuable lesson to use next time around.

Whether you sell children's clothing/ accessories that you need to use models for or your just looking to capture better candid shots of your own little lovelies, here are a few tips for a successful kids photo session:

1. Take breaks.......Lots of breaks- 
    When I first started taking kids photos my favorite line was "just one more shot sweetie, just one more". Tots have the attention span of a goldfish which equates to practically no span. I found the more breaks I let the kids take, the more fresh and ready to listen they were when we started up again. 5-10 minute breaks seemed to be just enough time to give them a breather without them completely losing interest.

2. Snacks
    Kids ALWAYS want snacks and usually at the most inopportune times. Obviously you want to accommodate without your models being covered in yogurt- GROSS! I try to make sure I have a variety of dry snacks on hand for munching in between photos. My favorites are pretzels, grapes and cheese sticks. As for liquids- water only. I also keep a hairdryer on hand in case there is a spill on the outfit.

3. Music
   I usually put on a kids station using Pandora or iTunes radio. If its a holiday themed shoot, I'll get some of my favorite Halloween or Christmas music together. The kids love to dance and I ended up getting a lot more smiles. It also keeps them so distracted that they forget I'm even photographing them. They feel more comfortable and that's when I get the best candid shots.

4. Patience
    I completely admit that this is easier said than done! I am typically not the most patient person and I get frustrated when I'm in a groove and the kids can't seem to stay focused. What I've learned is, when the kids aren't feeling it but you don't think you got enough press worthy shots yet, call it a day. If you keep dragging out what is already not going well, your headed for trouble and most likely a toddler meltdown. Most of the time when you sit down to edit your photos, you end up with a lot more fantastic shots than you thought.