8 Tips to Help you Avoid Posing Mistakes
So, in the fashion industry, posing is indeed a skill that elevates images for better marketable value. However, it can make or break your picture, as well! Unfortunately, as a Mom-tographer, posing can often be difficult because as we all know, children cannot sit still in one position for more than five minutes, if that!
If you missed part 1 or 2 of this series be sure to hop over to: Creating Memorable Childhood Photos and 7 Tips to Make Photography Composition Easy
Here are a few of my straightforward rules for photographing and posing children:
- Be Prepared
Use colorful clothing, shoes, costumes, wagons, chairs, books, props – toys, bubbles, balloons
Focus on details of their clothes, like shoe shots or macro shots of hands and feet!
Keep taking pictures but keep them safe always. Don’t worry about how many pictures you take. It’s not a contest. You are trying to get the best shot with a lot of movement. In modeling, 1 or 2 shots is all it takes from a 36 shot roll of film. With kids, the sky is the limit. So, shoot away!
- Let them do their thing
Follow them around but be an observer. Catch them at unusually opportune times. Capture them simply being a kid!
- Get them engaged!
So you are tempted to stand, keep still, and look at the camera… Easy peasy! Nope!!
The trick is to give them things to do.
- Bring props
A flower, toys, or whatever is appropriate at the location, eg: seashells, starfish props, shovels and buckets at the beach. Have them hold up objects to your camera while their faces are blurred in the background.
- Ask them questions that can engage thinking and laughter.
The expressions you get can be very amusing and perfect for pictures!
- Have them move and make it a game!
Have them walk away from you, play Simon Says “Stop/Go/Run”… have them turn their heads and smile back at you. Make it a game, and you will find such spontaneity in them.
- One of my favorite tactics.
In a grassy area or pathway, walk about 10feet in front of them and then ask them to run and chase you, or jump over you while you are on the floor shooting them at eye level. They will love it, and so will you!
- Use your environment!
Have them smell flowers, throw leaves in the air, climb trees or chase insects. If you are by the water or hose, turn it on and have some water fun! At a park, follow then into the playground, taking them coming down slides, swinging (I take close ups of them trying to kick me on their way forward). Shoot upward while they are on monkeybars or climbing walls. These photos make them look invincible!
Hi, I am Janet Brock of Purely Captivating Photography, based in San Diego, CA! I am truly excited about this honorable invitation of being a Guest blogger for Sixth Bloom, by Erin Rachel Photography.
I will confess quickly, that I am a workaholic Mom with two adolescent children. I am an ER/ICU Respiratory Therapist by trade, but a very passionate wedding and portrait photographer by heart! I not only juggle my business, work, baseball, karate and volunteer for Operation Love and The Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep foundation; but I am also a proud U.S. Marine Corps Spouse, who also helps care for my amazing Mom who just suffered a stroke 4 months ago. Needless to say, I simply adore my family and my big fluffy Persian cat, Sebastian. There is certainly not enough hours in a day for this Mommy! Although I struggle to find balance in everything in my life, I take it in stride and believe in God to guide me; give me courage and strength to accomplish all that I need to do. I embrace all things that life has to offer and hope that I can somehow make a difference, this includes my photography! As a professional photographer and Mommy, it is understood that my camera is constantly attached to my hip! With these aspects in my repertoire, it is my goal to document the lives of my kids and my family as much as I can. What better way to explore the world than to capture my own!
Bernie Whitt Adkins says
Thank you, I’m a beginner and your tips are great!!!