Most children will say “cheese!” automatically when they see a camera, but the smiles the word “cheese!” produces are canned and unnatural. The teeth are usually gritted, and the rest of their face just looks fake.
1. Distract Them.
To get natural, beautiful smiles, the kids need to be distracted from the camera. Get them talking about their family, school, what’s around them, pets… Anything and everything. Or, give them something to do, such as running, jumping, holding a flower, or spinning. When they are focused on other things, they are more likely to relax and forget about smiling!
2. Be unpredictable.
They are expecting you to tell them to say “cheese!” Instead tell them to say “pickles!” or “toot!” Try telling them not to smile. Depending on their age, it will work every time!
3. Be silly.
Ask them to be silly and then be silly back. Tell them to show you a grumpy face and then scream. Be as silly as you can.
Your goal is not to make them smile, but give them a reason to smile.
Kylee started Kylee Ann Photography 9 years ago, and has since grown from a one woman amateur show to a full associate team. We shoot 50-75 weddings a year, and thrive on kindness and service. After a year of teaching Intro to Photography at the local technical college, she discovered that helping other entrepreneurs create thriving businesses is what fires her up! She hosts semi-annual Kylee Ann Sleepovers all over the US, speak at conferences and teach online courses about running a small business and marketing.
January 8, 2016
Kylee Maughan
