How to Take Portraits of Children

If you have a digital camera and children, as well as a heaping of patience, then you will be able to create some gorgeous customized portraits.

Once you have taken the perfect portrait, then have a set of portraits printed at your local film processing area or using online resources to create a packet with large photos and wallets to share with family and friends.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience, Patience, and some more Patience
• Kind words, a Positive Attitude, and either a good smile or goofy faces or both plus some toys
• Traditional camera with lots of film & lots of patience OR
• Digital camera
• Tripod (optional but very helpful, especially if you want to add yourself or eliminate shaky hands creating blurry pictures)
• Happy & Well fed children who are NOT tired
• A method to print - can be by your printer, local store, or an online printer

1. 
    
   Unplanned Piano Portrait - Heather Inks

   First decide on your background preference and level of formality. If you want a shot that looks like it was taken in a studio, you will need a large expanse of blank/white/light colored wall with excellent lighting. Sometimes the lighting that is a little golden is the best because most people look healthy in it. The true color light bulbs can make people look pasty and florescent lighting can cause the color to be off. [This can be fixed through a some photo-editing software which can be found free online]
   
   Many studios offer backgrounds. When you take these yourself, you can find awesome backgrounds locally like large expanses of a building wall, nice fences, a forest background, a field with flowers, or a beach or lake. If you plan on cropping really close, then the background can be irrelevant as in the caption photo.
   
   Once your background is planned, you are ready for your next step!

2. 
    
   Planned Christmas Child Portrait - Heather Inks

   Make sure all your subjects are happy, not tired. That they are blemish free - yes that means postponing photos sometimes unless you want to edit them. Make sure all subjects are well fed. Usually with children, planning something nice for them (e.g. a crown for a little girl, a trip to the park, a trip to the beach, getting to see a favorite movie, or a cookie or lollipop) will help motivate them to work with you. This is not manipulation, this is win/win. You get great shots and they get a treat for working with you. While they are motivated, quickly arrange the child, children, or child and other family members.

3. 
    
   Christmas Family Portrait - Taken with use of tripod and 10 second delay by Heather Inks

   If you are using a tripod, set it up and take your shots. Take extra shots so that you make sure that you get a good one. A lot of actors and models have to do a lot of retakes or many shots, say 30 to get that 1 really good one.
   
   Smile while setting your kids up, smile when taking their shots, and if you need to make a goofy face or have the stuffed animal fall off your head to get the children to look the same direction and laugh - then lighten up a bit and do it!
   
   In this picture, I used a tripod and set the timer for 10 seconds and jumped right in the shot. I did this a few times that day and burned some extra calories to boot.
   
   Now you are ready to load them, edit them, and print them. Or send them off to the print shop if you used regular film.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan your background unless you are cropping in close.
• Make sure all people being photographed are as happy as possible and also have been well fed (not hungry or cranky).
• Take lots of pictures to ensure you get a good one.
• Talk nicely to your children because when they feel fabulous, they will look fabulous for the pictures.
• Use an editing program to improve them if they need lighting adjustment, red eye elimination, etc.
• Take advantage of studio coupons such as 30 pictures for $10. Just make sure that you only select one sheet because the additional ones will be a lot more expensive.
• Don't make the photoshoots too long or people will get cranky.
• Don't make photo taking miserable for your children or family. They will associate bad times, fighting, etc with pictures and it will make picture taking miserable for you, them, and a future photographer.
• Don't try this when kids are unhappy, hungry, tired, etc.
• If you want your children to be happy AND smile, you MUST be happy, smile, encourage them, and compliment them. If not, the photos won't come out with that "real" look that professional can capture for ads and photoshoots.

Resources

• Convenient One Page List of Heather Inks' Articles
• An example of Phenomenal Photography at Its Finest - I have learned much from him
• The Best Makeup for Hot Weather
• Pictures of Wildflowers at Galveston State Park, Texas
• Top 5 Fun Pool Toys for Kids
• How to Survive the Death of Your Baby
• How to Teach Children Not to be Greedy

[heatherinks]

on 8/29/2009 Don't forget to take pictures of your children in their new school clothes! God bless.

[heatherinks]

on 7/16/2009 Learning how to take portraits of children is a great way to save money in a tight economy or if you have a lot of children and grandchildren. Remember to stash your savings in the market or in a bond to be able to take advantage of time-value-money and really earn on those savings. God bless.

[FrazzledNanny]

on 5/28/2009 I love taking pictures of my children and grandchildren. Thanks for the tips for taking their portrait. 5*

[heatherinks]

on 4/30/2009 Taking your own pictures of children whether it is portraits of children or just nice pictures to send to relatives is a great way to get nice pictures for cheap if you do it right.

[jenng]

on 4/30/2009 Great article on how to take pictures of children 5*