It’s the biggest worry I hear from Perth parents when they book their family photoshoot. “My child hates the camera.” “I can never get them to smile for photos.” “They will not sit still long enough.”

This is going to sound strange, but I honestly get excited when I hear these words. Because I KNOW I can coax a smile out of the most stubborn of children. And I immediately start looking forward to delivering your gallery because I know how special it is to see the final results that we have captured.

“We had the best experience with Miranda. She managed to get my son who won’t participate in photos to be involved…I ended up buying them all as I couldn’t choose.” – This is a review from a recent client who had these exact concerns.

This is how I approach my family photoshoots to capture natural smiles and encourage participation.

1. I introduce myself and my camera

“Hi, my name is Miranda. That’s a beautiful dress/awesome Paw Patrol toy/noisy dinosaur toy! Are you ready to take some photos today? I know my camera is a bit bigger than you’ve probably seen before. Would you like me to show you a photo of yourself on it? Would you like to press the button to take a photo of mum?”

This is typically how I start my sessions. The elephant in the room is me and my big, scary camera. Getting your children familiar with my camera and excited about what it does helps ease their nerves and be more likely to participate in your family photoshoot.

2. I don’t talk about it as a family photoshoot

No, we are not here JUST to take photos. We are here to explore our surroundings, look for birds, make pretend bonfires out of sticks, play Chasey and Hide and Seek. Mum and Dad, your full participation is required in all games and activities! I will guide you what to do and then watch you all interact together while I slink into the background with my camera.

This takes pressure off the need to ‘perform’ and allows everyone to simply be themselves. It reduces feelings of self-consciousness and embarrassment which is typically why children don’t cooperate.

3. Use of natural prompts

• What colour are mums eyes?
• Can you touch your nose to dads nose without laughing?
• Who does the biggest farts in your family?
• Whose bedroom is the messiest?
• Let’s sit on dads shoulders and see if we can reach the top leaves of the trees
• You do dance classes!? Show me your best twirl!
• Do you think your new baby brother will hold your finger if you give it to him?

These are some of the prompts I find that work really well in getting children to forget about it being a photoshoot and instead just interact as naturally as possible. With these and many more different prompts aimed at different ages, there is always a way to coax a smile out of your children!

4. Things you can do to help

• Ensure full tummies prior
• Snacks available if required
• Bring drink bottles
• Bring change of clothes/nappies/wipes etc in case of accidents
• Communicate with me whether the time chosen is suitable for them – i.e avoids witching hour
• Bring their favourite toy
• Let them explore their surroundings without trying to restrict them too much
• Dress them suitably for the weather
• Try to let go of any expectations
• Talk to your child about what we will be doing, what the location is like and that they will be meeting me

By doing these things prior to our session, it allows for a calm start where they know what to expect and their physiological needs are met resulting in less resistance to meeting me and playing games together.

I have done countless many a family photoshoot where the children have been less than impressed with getting their photo done, and I am always so excited when I capture that smile and get to show the parents. It’s such a beautiful thing to provide these precious memories that Perth parents are so worried they won’t be able to capture.

If you have these worries and want someone who is confident and knows how to talk to children, contact me about booking your family photoshoot and let me ease your worries 🙂