There are many things to remember when trying to take photos of children. There are some methods that work, and some that don't - here are a few hints on how to go about capturing completely natural images that parents and relatives will love and treasure for years to come.

Don't rush it

Children can be very shy at first and it takes a real skill to get a child's trust in a short period of time. Shooting outside the studio can be an advantage here, as it means you can often meet the children at their home or a place familiar to them, which all helps to make it easier for the child to relax.

Try to spend a bit of time gaining the child's trust and breaking down the shy barriers - this is essential if you want to capture realistic, natural images. It may help to not bring out your camera equipment straight away; perhaps leave it in the car or out of sight until the kid(s!) are ready.

Timing

Not only is your timing of each shot vital but also the time of the day. Children normally run on a routine that goes like so:

1. Sleep
2. Eat
3. Play

Shooting children whilst asleep may be easier, but you can be pretty sure the parents will want something more! So, always try to schedule the shoot to take place during the child's natural playing time.

It should be fun!

If you want to capture natural expressions of joy (and who wouldn't?) then the only way to achieve this is to make it fun. Depending on the age group the way this can be achieved differs but the basic guideline is, you play by their rules. Find something that would entertain them. For example, you could try the following:

• A bubble machine
• Riding a bike
• On a bouncy inflatable or trampoline
• Playing with a toy, say a kite or a ball

You get the idea. Find out what the child likes, and go with that. If you want vibrant, happy images, it's always useful to make sure the toy is brightly coloured too. What you are aiming to achieve is a happy child who soon forgets about the camera and really is having great fun.

Don't force things

As any parent will tell you trying to get a child to do something they don't want to do is as close to impossible as things get. You can guarantee tantrums and tears follow if a child is forced into doing something they've decided against doing; the trick is to get them to want to do whatever it may be.

Constant praise is all that should come from the photographer on how well they are doing. When photographing childre, if for whatever reason they decide that they're not going to do something, just try once more and then move on to something else. Ten or twenty minutes later come back to the original pose and try it again, often this will succeed!

Be prepared

You never know what each moment will hold when photographing children, especially when you're outside. Many things can make fantastic photographs - throwing stones into a lake, patting a dog, throwing leaves - all this and more, just use your imagination. If you switch your camera off and put your lens cap on it's a sure way to miss fantastic unscripted moments.

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