Have you ever gotten to the photography studio and suddenly your kid who never stops smiling at home will not crack even a smirk?

Don’t worry, it happens to most people!

In this blog I am going to offer up some tried and true tricks of the trade as an experienced Lehigh Valley Family and Children’s Photographer for over a decade. You will leave here feeling confident that you’ve done all you can to ensure your little baby (or big kid) is ready to give you the smiles that you want!

Pssst… I also have some tips for you grown ups, too! Stick around, it’ll be worth it!

“Never work with children or animals.” WC Fields

In the heat of a two year old tantrum, 20 minutes into their one hour photoshoot… I’ve often thought of this quote! But I love kids too much to let a little meltdown stop me!

Let’s break this down- age by age, shall we?

Teenagers and pre-teens: These guys are FBI level negotiators. Bribes work REALLLLLY well on middle school kids and, I mean- let’s be honest… what high schooler isn’t negotiating everything at home from chores to later bedtimes, screen time allowances and more! When I photograph teens, I like to start with a pre-warning before we kick things off. I’ll tell them if they listen and play along, we will be done before they know it. You can help reiterate this by being proactive before the shoot. On your way to your photoshoot, give your teens a pep talk. It might sound something like this: “Alright guys, listen up! We are all dressed and we are going to be on time so we’re already winning!! This family photoshoot means so much to me! I can’t wait to hang a new canvas above the mantle and update your headshots in the frames by the stairs. Miss Lori’s time is limited and honestly, it’s hot outside so none of us want to be out here longer than we need to be, right? (a resounding YES will assuredly come from the back seat) We are going to listen to what she tells us to do, we’re going to hug if she says hug and we’re going to have FUN, I promise! When we’re all done, we can make a pit stop for ice cream at that amazing creamery you’ve been wanting to try! We really want to do our best so we will always smile when we see these photos on our wall!”

• Don’t be overly judgemental during the shoot or they WILL shut down. Instead of “Don’t smile like that!” say “I love when you do this smile/pose”.
• When I am photographing individual images of each child, be sure to spend some time hugging on your teen and letting them know they did great or encourage them to let loose- tell them Lori is the goofiest of all!
• Be sure your teen is comfy in their outfit choice. This is sooo important.
• If things were tense on the way to the shoot, we like to say “Throw it out the window!” Take a deep breath, roll your window down and throw that tension out the window! Even now my kids will somewhat roll their eyes when I say this but they do it and I think it’s a good way to reset before we get all close and cuddly!
• Don’t be afraid to break out a wicked choke hold hug that cracks even the toughest kiddos!

Older Elementary School Aged: This group of kids still really love having fun and being silly so they’re always some of my favorite ages. Bribes still work really well for this age but are not really as necessary. The girls usually LOVE having their photos made and will pose like perfectly, or even show off some of their dance pose stances! Boys at this age will often like to pretend they don’t want to be photographed or roll their eyes and stick out their tongue if I ask them to hug their sibling but deep down, I KNOW, they actually love the attention!

Again, preparation is key! Let them know how important this is to you, how you can’t wait to gift Auntie/Grandma/Pop Pop a print for their wall! When you arrive, remember that all the prep work is done and let me work my magic… if you’ve worked with me in the past, you know there are some supernatural happenings that get smiles at times- that or the lifelong experience of working with children! If some joke I say doesn’t land, I change it up.

• Take a mental note of a time your kid laughed out loud… what had them laughing? Remind them at the session as a way to break up the cheese-y smiles if we’re getting those no matter how hard I try!
• Tickle monster always works… I should say ALMOST always but literally 99/100 times, it works!
• Parent bear hugs are most definitely going to bring a natural smile!
• I love to ask about kids’ favorite foods… it’s easy to get them to talk about things they love but it’s even better to talk about they things they hate! “Do you like broccoli? Yes. Do you like Ice Cream? Yes. So then you must love broccoli ice cream?” CLICK CLICK, money shot!
• I love to ask about their plans for the summer and who their best friends are. I also like to ask who they think is the best behaved kid in their class because YOU.BETTER.BELIEVE. they’re telling me the low down on who is the… how can I say this nicely… the least best behaved kid and that’s where the real smiles come from, too!

Preschool to Early Elementary Aged:

So we made it out of those tough ages and entered the blessed years for family photographers… the “take my picture” stage! Once a kiddo of this age is comfy in front of my camera for 5 minutes, they let their big personality out! They come up with pose ideas, they want to make silly faces, they think I’m like… REALLY freakin’ cool… you know- that cool aunt who would always send us money in cards on our birthdays and let us swim in her pool without taking that dumb 15 minute break after eating a quarter of a PB&J… THAT kinda cool! This is the age that runs back to give me one last hug or feels comfortable asking 394 questions about everything from my choice of clothes, to why there’s a bed in the studio if I don’t sleep there and why their photo isn’t featured on my wall like all the other kids-even when it’s our first time meeting 😉

Food is the way to smiles for this age! Here’s a typical conversation with a kindergartner for their 5th birthday photoshoot:

“What’s your favorite animal? Do you like skunks? Would you ever eat a skunk? How bout skunk pizza? Skunk ice cream?” They realize that I’m so silly even the most shy can’t help but laugh out loud!

• Let them be silly! If you let the sillies happen, I promise the perfect poses you want will be so much easier!
• Let them bring their favorite toy/stuffy/blanket. Honestly, they’re also negotiators so half the battle with kids wanting their toy in the picture is that we’re telling them no… once it’s ok to have the toy, most times they don’t want it or need it for the photo anymore!
• I have a flow of poses and props but if they don’t want to do something, I will encourage them but never force them.
• If they want to sit on that little orange stool while wearing a pink princess dress… it’s happening! (Cool Aunt Lori, remember!)
• Lollipops for smiles… 10/10 this works to get just a few more moments out of them!
• Parents, permission to dance behind my head, pretend or actually bop me on the head with something, squeak the rubber chicken in my ear or make it poop on my head… seriously, all rules out the window when dealing with kids!
• I also like to have them show me all their faces in quick succession: mad face, happy face, sad face…. you get the gist!
• All aged kids in this group, I love playing don’t you dare! “Is that real smile? Wait, you better not give me a real smile now… I mean it, don’t you dare show me your teeth!” Older ages can usually stop themselves from smiling but not this group: for sure one of my best games!

Two year olds:

I’m going to go out on a limb and say, I know two year olds better than most. First, I have one living in my house right now and I survived two other ones. Two year old photoshoots are most definitely my toughest and my challenging age! For so many reasons but they all boil down to one common thing- toddlers are unpredictable! What works for one makes the next one cry. They don’t know what reason is yet so bribing them doesn’t work til next year… believe me, I’ve tried! I’m just going to get right into it here with this one, hang on tight and God bless the parents and guardians of toddlers! Also, lets get the daycare teachers a raise while we’re at it!

• Furniture movers: have a nice assortment of chairs for them to choose from… they are rearrange-ers! Prepare for the chair you have in the set to be uninhabitable to them but when you bring over the one they want, you better believe they changed their mind and are now on the original that’s on the sidelines! When they climb up, though, they’ll give you a proud smile for two seconds so be ready for it!
• Snacks are life- little pretzels are great along with puffs and cheerios… stay away from gummies or goldfish due to the mess and drool they create! Also, please don’t forget the sippy!
• If a toddler hates their shoes, we will all hate their shoes… ditch them, barefoot pictures are cuter anyway! Cut off itchy tags and be sure they’re comfy!
• Bring their favorite toys and incorporate them. I have tons of trucks, balls, trains and fun things to hold.
• Save any bribes until the VERRRY end. If we’re offering a lollipop it has to be on the last shot!
• Ladders are my best friend! I have one in many colors for toddlers to climb!
• Toddlers love to be daring and jump off of stuff- suitcases, crates, chairs… they love when we make a big deal out of their bravery and match their excitement!
• “Don’t you dare!” works like a charm! “You better not sit on that chair! I’m going to sit on that chair! Hey, did you take my chair? Don’t you dare smile.. are you smiling?!?!” (I’m smiling just writing that!)
• Most importantly, trust me when I say that your child is done. I know what I was seeing in my camera screen and I am the type of person who will not quit til I’m sure! I’m also not in the business of torturing children so when I know a toddler has reached their limit, I am going to surrender!

One Year Olds:

Ahh, probably my favorite age! One is so easy… even the one year old runners are easy in comparison to two year old photos! Here are some of my favorite tricks for getting smiles from your first birthday babe!

• Peek A Boo
• So Big
• Tickle with a feather duster
• Chant and clap baby’s name like you’re hyping up your favorite ball player: “Der-ek-Je-ter! (clap clap clap clap clap) or “Emma, Emma, Emma!” (while clapping symultaniously)
• Alexa, play (baby’s favorite song): Old MacDonald, The Wheels on the Bus or Get Low by Lil’ John!
• One of my best tricks is knowing that babies usually just want something to hold. I’m not sure how long ago I figured this out but once I did I realized I could photograph one year olds for the rest of my life! What could they hold? Literally ANYTHING! Shaky eggs, wooden toys, pearl necklace, number 1, a flower or piece of greenery, their stuffy or blanket! There’s no wrong answer but if your one year old seems unsettled or unsure at their session, put something in their hands and watch the magic happen!
• I’m gonna get you!
• Pretend to eat their cake like a puppy dog
• Ask for a bite of their cake
• Pat-A-Cake
• Take their shoes off
• Show them a video of themselves laughing at home… whatever the reason, this is a guaranteed smile!
• If baby is nervous, their hands will go to their mouth. Once they start biting on their hands, their tender gums might become aggravated. Consider a safe teething oil, gel or pain reliever for those babes who are working hard to push those teeth through! (In the end, what you’re comfortable with for your child is what’s best, this is just my experience with success over the years.)

Infant to Sitter:

Once baby outgrows that brand new sleepy stage, they will begin to give you massive smiles that you will imprint into your brain and be able to imagine for the rest of your life! Here are some simple but tried and true ways to guarantee smiles at your infant/sitter milestone session:

• Choose the best time of day for your shoot.
• Feed baby before you come and bring a bottle along.
• If baby loves paci, baby will want paci!
• Stand above them with your camera safely strapped around your neck and talk to them. You know Miss Rachel on Youtube? Channel Miss Rachel and talk to that baby in their language!
• Smile at baby, the biggest smile you can give!
• Tickle their chunky legs or have mom nuzzle their bellies or necks!
• Limit outfit changes
• Keep it simple: too much stimulation isn’t good.
• Comfy clothes, no shoes!
• Play peek a boo with a blanket and clap your hands a lot!
• Consider offering a safe teething oil or gel if baby is teething.

Newborn:

Experts say that newborn’s smiles are a reflex from an internal stimulant like gas and not at all from pleausure! I’m not saying a seven day old baby is going to give you a social smile like, “Heyyyy, LG!! It’s so nice to see you” kinda grin but I have photographed nearly one thousand newborn portrait sessions in my career and I’ve capture hundreds of smiles. There are some definite things you can watch for to try to capture that fleeting newborn smile while they’re sleeping whether at my studio or at home on your couch with your phone!

• When they’re twitching, it might be coming.. have your camera ready. Their eyes might be active but closed, their limbs could be jumpy, their cheek or lips might be quivering- if you see these things, a smile is most likely on the way!
• Gently say their name- the first time I noticed this worked for me was when a dad said his son’s name very sweetly to him and BAM! SMILE!
• Make high pitched noise like a smoochy-kiss noise!
• Gently tickle their lip area with your finger pad.

I would much rather believe that newborns smile based on sweet dreams and familiar voices than from painful gas bubbles… that sounds like a crotchety old man came up with that thought- I mean, gas is generally not pleasant or smile generating… am I right? I get what the experts are saying and I’m not saying they’re wrong just that I feel strongly about my theory as well 😉

That sums it up. I hope this helps you feel confident you’ve done everything in your power to have a smiling and successful photoshoot with your kiddos! If you found this blog helpful, please subscribe to my newsletter HERE and follow me on all the socials and drop a comment below!

I look forward to the opportunity to work with you and if I can ever help you in any way, please reach out!

Here’s to happy kids and fast cameras!

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