Photographing a child: Tips and Tricks

Miss Siddhi : Posing in a dummy adv

Photographing a child : Tips and Tricks

Often photographing child is a tricky job. I am talking of child at the age somewhere between two to eight. In this particular age range, most of the children are hesitant towards a stranger and shy to get photographed. To me, its perhaps due to the mixture of two attributes:

1. Exposure to new world ( this is the age where child start social activities!) and 
2. Fear-factor (fear how well he or she will be accepted by others). 

In this article, I would like to write about some non-obvious tips-and-tricks to get best from child models. I am sharing my experiences with first kid I photographed - miss Siddhi ( Daughter of Dr. Aneesh Gangal, doctorate from IIT Bombay and my former colleague).

Get friendly

Just the acquaintance is not enough to photograph them ! Develop the relation with them by often visiting their home. I remember, when Siddhi was just 3 years old, I had to introduce myself on every visit afresh ! Getting friendly means child will open up with you and cooperate for photo session.

Speak their language

Child, although use mother-tongue to communicate, has a very different message to convey. Interpretation a child makes of the surrounding, events, and other people is inconceivable to us ! Speaking their language helps in pursuing him or her to pose for photograph you want.

Note their likes:

Apart from usual favorites, like Barbie doll, cycle, car etc, sometimes its unbelievable what a child can like ! Try to utilize it somewhere in the photograph. Use every thing that pleases the child. Parent like smiling photos of their child, almost all the time !

Shoot alot:

A child is most energetic human being. Once you get familiar, a child is too enthusiastic to chat, play, and share things with you. Age is no bar. Its all about acceptance. Once the bomd is established, look at the change in behavior. Child-expressions are always to extreme. Laughing, jumping, running and curiosity too ! To get good photos, just shoot alot. At different times and occasions. Use burst mode when required. Wait, wait and shoot !

Allow sibling to play with child:

Elder one is most comfortable with the younger one. Their chemistry can be used to get some classic moments.