Camera Critters

People often ask me how I get children to smile.  They swear up and down that they try and try to get good pics at home... but their kids don't smile for them like they do when I come around to photograph a session.  But that is why you hire a photographer, right?  The work is done for you, and if you're like me - you like to get in the frame once in awhile to get great photos of you with your child(ren)... instead of always being behind the camera.

Here are a few of my "secrets."
1) I am new to them.  Trust me... I don't get my own (very active almost 2-year old) to sit still and smile all that often myself.  But when new people are around, he is more likely to hold a pose just long enough for his mama to click her shutter button and get a great shot.

2) I have a "Camera Critter" on my lens that looks like a very popular red character on TV.  I cannot tell you HOW great this is... not only do the kids recognize him, but they LOOK at him while I photograph them.  It's funny... in every shoot with children, I get several shots of the kid(s) pointing at the camera, because I always ask them, "Where is Elmo?" and they laugh and point and say "THERE HE IS!"  Too cute.  I love my job...

  3) My last secret is that I have a tiny sweet candy treat in my camera bag that I reward the children with (pending their parents' approval, of course) for smiles. (And I usually sing some funny songs, dance some funny dances, etc.  Smiles are worth the work!)