There are few things sweeter in this world than a great portrait of your little girl, but if you’ve tried to take portraits of her by yourself before, you know how hard this kind of digital photography can be. With these tips and ideas at your disposal, you can make your next portrait shoot go more smoothly without the need for a lot of photo editing after the fact.
Tips to Make Child Portrait Photography Easier
With child portrait photography, patience is a virtue. You might have to take more pictures than you anticipated just to capture one or two really excellent shots. Don’t give up, and try these tips to make child portrait photography easier on both of you.
This adorable photo shows that captured emotion can be just as powerful when it doesn’t involve a smile.
Photo courtesy Jana Parma on Pinterest via SavvyBritchesBoutique.com.
1. Don’t insist on a smile. Although portraits of your little girl smiling have their place, with the right mix of mood and action a photo of her that expresses different emotions can be just as powerful, if not more so.
2. Look at the world through her eyes. Photographing children from above their head height can lead to distortion and distract the viewer of a photo. Sit or kneel at her height for the best photos.
3. Photograph quickly. Even if your girl is patient, she’ll want to be moving around. That means to get the best photos, you will need to use a fast shutter speed. If you’re using a point and shoot instead of a DSLR, use the Sports or Action mode instead of Portrait.
4. Don’t discount bribery. If you are at a location that can’t be repeated, such as an amusement park or on vacation, and your daughter is tired, crabby, or just not interested in working with your camera, bribing her with small treats or something that you will do together later that she’ll look forward to might be in order!
This sweet photo was taken not only at the little girl’s level, but as she turned her back to the camera. This shows how important it can be to take pictures quickly, so that you don’t miss such a moment.
Photo courtesy Nathi Tahlifan on Pinterest.
Great Child Photography Ideas
It’s difficult to convince young children to make and then hold a pose while you take a photograph. Many times it’s easier to rely on their natural action with less direction, and this approach works very well if you’re also happy with the outfits, props, and scene of the photo. Try these photography ideas to bring life into your photos of your little girl.
1. Pick an outfit together. Even if you have the perfect outfit in mind, does she agree? Finding cute clothes that will photograph well might involve compromise, but if she feels included in the activity by having her say, she’ll probably be more cooperative once the camera is on.
2. Use girly props. There are some props that viewers always associate with little girls, and there’s nothing wrong with that! Consider using items she owns like umbrellas and stuffed animals as props, or items she can borrow from you, such as purses or costume jewelry.
3. Let her get dirty. Towards the end of your shoot, once you’ve captured the photos you had in mind when you started out, let her play the way she wants to – even if it means getting dirty! You might be surprised at how natural and sweet looking these photos turn out.
Using digital photography to capture the moments in your little girl’s life ensures that you and she will have mementos of her childhood for years to come. Don’t allow the fear of a meltdown to prevent you from trying to photograph her at her best!
Accessories borrowed from Mom can make an otherwise ordinary photo cute as a button.
Photo courtesy Maria Jose Valenzuela on Pinterest via WeHeartIt.com.
Tips and Ideas for Photographing Your Little Girl
by Cody Johnson | Jan 17, 2013 | Advice