Top tips on photographing children

Photographing children can be incredibly rewarding, but it definitely comes with its own set of challenges. Kids are totally wonderful, energetic, spontaneous but may not always fit in with the vision in your head. As a documentary photographer, this fills me with total joy as I’m looking to capture more than a single shot – I am looking to capture the soul of the story. Having said that, here are some tips to set yourself up for success.

1.     Keep It Fun and Lighthearted

a.     Let them be themselves: Encourage play, laughter, and natural interactions. Kids are more likely to be themselves when they’re having fun, and that’s when you’ll get the best candid moments.

b.    Use games or prompts: Turn the shoot into a game—like asking them to make funny faces, jump around, or pretend to be animals

2.     The rule of thirds

This is a composition trick to make the photograph pleasing to the eye. Imagine your screen is divided into a grid of thirds. Make sure your subject is positioned on of the lines, and your photograph will come to life.

3.     Repetition

Children often do the same thing over and over again, so position yourself where you can get a great shot, without disturbing them.

4.     Capturing genuine expressions

I find nothing changes a child’s demeanour than asking them to smile. You’ll find their body becomes quite stiff, and their smile very fixed – not quite what you were hoping for! Instead, be patient, children love to laugh, smile and be happy so it won’t be long before that wonderful shot is yours!

5.     Consider your environment

To get a wonderful shot, it’s all about the details. Think about your background and the details in the shot – are they adding to your story? The setting can often tell more of the story than the subject themselves

6.     Light

I could write an entire book on light, but it can make or break a photograph. Soft light can sometimes be easier to photograph and this happens in the morning and the later afternoon. It gives that gorgeous golden soft light that people are often looking for. If you want beautifully lit portraits, have the sun behind you and shining on your subject’s face. This could be from a window, a door, or outside.

 Ofcourse, one the reasons my clients come to me is that they want to be in the photographs themselves. I don't know about you but I don’t appear in most of our photographs…if I disappeared, I wouldn’t exist! If this is you, email me hello@rebeccathompsonphotography.co.uk