Children’s Portrait Tips

Many times, I am the first photographer my clients have come in contact with. Many times, our session is their first with a profession. Generally, each client has the same worries and questions as the next. I’ve borrowed a list of tips courtesy of Parttimephoto.com. They are wonderful and cover the majority of questions I receive. If you have another concern or question, please contact me directly, or leave a comment!

• Clean, clean, clean – clean nails, clean hair, wipe away eye boogers, clean feet (sandals on kids = black feet!), wipe snotty noses, fresh-scrub teeth. The cleaner the kid, the better their photos will turn out.
• If your child is still in diapers or pull-ups, tuck ’em in or wear bloomers.
• If your child is still of napping age, make sure they nap before the shoot.
• It is perfectly okay to bring bribes to a photo shoot – given a stage and being the center of attention, it’s like our kids know exactly when to act their worst. Some cereal, smarties or other candy that won’t stain teeth can help a short photo shoot go by smoothly.
• Avoid colorful drinks or lollypops within 24 hours of your shoot, don’t let them eat or drink anything that will stain their face, teeth or mouths.
• Wardrobe – For girls, you can’t go wrong with cute dresses, rompers, and dainty hats or headbands. For boys, jeans and polos or a button-up shirt, or a T-shirt with a button-up over it can be very cute, as well as overalls on the right age and personality. For siblings, the children don’t have to match perfectly, just coordinate. You can’t go wrong with dark, rich monotones, which drive the attention in photos to sweet faces and darling expressions instead of loud prints or colors. If nothing else, pick a color that compliments your child’s eye color.