Some photographers don’t deliver very many candids. Or at least when it comes to portraits they keep it to the basics- smiling and laughing. However, my favorite pictures are the ones where they capture the actual personality of the person I am in front of. And kids have the BEST personalities, mainly because they don’t try to hide what they are feeling.
Meet Link and Jones. Link has more personality in his finger than ten people. He is quirky and funny and always posing. I mean look at that hip pop? Do you think that I instructed that? Of course not! When it comes to posing kids I do very little instructing. I help them place one hand in their pocket and then give them a few instructions such as “show me your hulk smash face, okay, now show me your happy face!” This gives them a chance to get rid of any fake smile and usually gets them laughing. I do little instructing because I want the kids to be in the most comfortable position they can. Their pictures will look more natural if you don’t try putting them in positions they have never been in. I always take time to let them play with their surroundings. Chase the birds, throw rocks in the water, whatever they are itching to do. This is a great chance for candid pictures, as well as letting the more shy kids feel more comfortable around the “stranger photographer.”
I always shoot at their level. I get down and get a shot so I can see their whole body in the frame. Jones, for example is more introverted than his big brother. He gives this serious face to everyone. I could have just sent the ones where we got him to laugh, but his serious little personality is genuine. I wanted his parents to have him at this age captured in all his 2 year old glory.
