I just met this 4 months-old cutie-pie Natalie in late April. She is so bubbly and chubby. When you look at her for the first time, you will have an urge to pinch her cheeks.

While shooting halfway, Natalie began to get cranky and needed some milk to pacify her. While I was waiting for her to finish her milk, I decided to continue taking photos of her older brother as he is still not very comfortable in front of the camera. I guess my decision paid off because the later photos turned out a lot better.

Below are some images to share.

Regards,
Darren (123 Photography)
Email: info@123photography.com.sg
Website: www.123photography.com.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/123PhotographySingapore

Every photographer wants to get happy, exciting photos of children. Kids are such stimulating subjects, with their constant movements and wild expressions. But while it is enjoyable to watch them play and run, once you turn the camera towards their direction, most children will hide their faces or lose their natural emotions. What should you do to keep the magic from disappearing, then?
 
Children photography is different from other forms of photography. For one, you are shooting somebody who gets bored very easily. You will only have a minute or less to capture that perfect expression. You can’t spend hours directing them or telling them what to do. You also can’t persuade them to do the things you want. It takes a balance of patience and luck to get the perfect photograph.
 
You also have to think of the child. They may get intimidated from your camera gear, so don’t bring too many large and distracting things. You need to make sure that the child is at ease with you and your camera. Talk to the child and make them comfortable around you. Don’t ask them to pose too much; give them freedom to do whatever they like. Also, give them props such as their favorite toy or an interesting object. This will usually make them forget that there is a camera trained on their face, allowing them to be natural in front of the lens.
 
While taking the photograph, get down on your knees. It is best to get an eye level photo, so that it looks more personal. You can even take candid photos; this way you don’t have to constantly ask the child to look at your camera. Be creative in the ways you distract them. Kids photography requires you to think out of the box.
 
Some days your subject can be unwilling or difficult to work with. Give them a short break, or if it is no cost, allow yourself to postpone the shoot for some other day. If the shoot is no longer enjoyable for the child, you won’t be getting any good photos of the kid anytime soon.
 
You will learn that shooting a child is a new learning experience, every single time. Getting that perfect photo that really gets a child’s essence is something priceless. This may not be the easiest form of photography, but it can be very fun, for both you and the child.
 

Children photography is no easy task. Some children have short attention span while some children are camera-shy. Some children can barely sit still under the heavy lights. It is even harder to make children do what you have in mind. The truth is, being a photographer especially for children requires a certain kind of talent and patience that not everybody possesses.

The most important thing to remember with children photography is that you must get to know your model. Talk to them about their hobbies and interests. Make eye contact. Be genuinely interested, not patronizing. Listen to them as closely as possible. Treat them as equals. The kids will open up to you, ensuring that you will get some natural expressions in your camera. Children always know if someone is just pretending to like them, so be as sincere as possible.

During the shoot, keep your set up simple and neat. A one-light set up is enough in most situations. You wouldn’t want the children running around tripping over your softbox and lightstands. For a more natural approach, it is recommended to just make use of ambient light. If the space you are working on has light filtering through the windows, skip the softbox and go natural!

Allow the kids to choose from a variety of props or toys. This will give you some insight on their personalities, as well as give them the freedom to choose whatever they want. When taking the photos, take occasional breaks. Put the camera down to smile or listen to the kid. If they say they are tired, let them sit for a while. If they want to play, give them the go signal. Kids love being able to do what they want. If you restrict them, they will get mad or fussy.

It might be difficult if the children don’t listen to you, but it is up to you as the photographer to compromise. If they aren’t facing the right light, you have to learn to adjust yourself or, in some cases, improvise. Walk around and discover the child’s best angle. Be sure to get the kid’s innocence and mood in your photograph. When you can capture a child’s genuine emotion in your photos, then you can say that you are finally a good children photographer.

Children photography is not an easy art, yet both rewarding and exciting. You will find that every photo is special on its own.