How to Get Kids to Stay Put so You Can Take Pictures of Them
Photographing children can be tricky – remembering how to take a good photo first and then working with fidgeting subjects. As head of editorial photography, Sean Gamm works with zulily’s in-house team to coordinate photo sessions with an average of 91 children per week. He gave us some tips on how to get the kids to stay put so you have great shots.
Keep them involved
Keeping the kids engaged and finding ways to make the shoot fun will result in better photos. One way to do this is to play ball with them. Gumm suggests throwing a ball to the child (or asking someone to throw it) and taking a picture before she catches him. This gives you a great opportunity to get candid pictures of a smiling child.
You can also include toys and stuffed animals in your photo shoot – bonus points if the toy squeaks. “Toys are a photographer’s best friend,” says Gamm. Hold toys over the camera to make your child laugh and look at the camera. You can also include the toy in the photo and have your child pose with the toy.
Bubbles are another fun way to keep your child entertained during a photo shoot. If you want to encourage them to stay in one place, just blow bubbles in that place. “Bubbles are a fun and inexpensive way to keep your child entertained, so why not use them to your advantage?” Gamm says.
Let them sit down
If your child cannot stand still, allow him to pose with a chair. They can lean on a chair or sit on it. This tip is especially helpful for younger people who have just learned to walk and want to run. If you don’t want the chair to be in the photo, you can always crop it later.
Play games
“Games are the best way to keep your kids engaged and focused during a photo shoot,” says Gamm. His favorite game is Crash a Bug. To play around, draw a beetle on a piece of masking tape and place the tape where you want your child to stand. Then your child must stand on the bug to make sure it is crushed or it will crawl away. Every time your child walks away from the tape, remind him that he is standing on a bug and that his job is to crush it.
Simon Says is also a great game to keep kids interested in posing for photos. Instead of ordering your child to get up and stay put, tell him to do it through Simon Says’s play.
To help the children focus and stop moving, ask them to name objects or colors they see in the room, or count them.
Take a break
Sometimes the best way to get kids to stop is to release the energy from them beforehand. Play hide and seek. “It can be especially fun when the weather is fine and you can play outside in natural light,” Gamm said. “Have a photo session between rounds so the kids don’t feel like it’s tiring.” Younger children – play hide and seek with them.
You can also try methods to calm them down, such as asking them to watch a meditation video for children .
Embrace their energy
Finally, if you can’t get your kids to stay put, work with it. Move to an environment where your child can run and take pictures of them playing. “Try to find an environment or area large enough to keep an eye on your child,” Gamm said. “Photographing them as they move and play can lead to great candid photos.”