6 tips to capture a perfect smile

Just about every person with a child has at one time or another said the words, "Say cheese". I would love to know who came up with that phrase because, well, in all honesty it rarely produces stellar smiles.  Children can be the hardest subject to capture naturally, it's no wonder parents get frustrated and resort to bribes (yes, I will be the first one to raise my hand on that one). After 3 years of photographing little ones, I've come up with 6 very helpful tips to get that real deal smile. No matter the camera or the occasion you can pull these out of your sleeve and have success every time.

Tip #1

The number one hardest part about taking a child's picture is keeping them in the same spot to avoid blur. I HATE motion blur!!! Toddler's especially are a challenge! My little guy above was about 18 months in this picture and VERY active. I couldn't get him to stay and take a picture no matter how big the bribe. So how did we get this sweet, perfect smile and keep him standing still??? Looking at this picture you wouldn't guess but he is standing on a bench (daddy standing very close just in case). He was at an age where fear of height still was scary so as soon as we placed him on a low, flat bench he didn't move an inch.

*warning-make sure if you have your child stand on something it is safe, will not move, and is low to the ground. Also have an extra adult be close to the child for extra safety. Please use caution in all situations.

Sitting is my top favorite and works wonders with toddler's. Introduce them to something they haven't seen like a new little chair or wagon and you have a great window of opportunity for a couple of shots. This is also great for older children as well.

My favorite for an older child is playing the game of buried treasure. Get them excited about the spot you want them to stand in and explain that there is a secret buried treasure under their toes. X marks the spot and they have to stand there to guard the treasure. Explain that you have a special treat from the treasure chest if they can guard it for 5 minutes. It is a bribe but it works like a charm!!! I like to keep smarties in my purse and is a non messy treat they love.

Tip #2

Now that you have them sitting still how do you get them to look at the camera?  I like to find out their favorite movie or T.V. character and than tell them their hiding in my lens. Get very excited and point to your camera and say, "Mickey Mouse is waving to you. Can you see him?". Whatever the character, it gets the kiddo's excited and looking right at your camera, giving you a perfect moment. Keep talking about the character while you shoot and ask them to smile and wave back to them. It is a great pretend game and if they are tired of looking for Mickey you can always switch to someone they know, like a grandparent.

Tip #3

Balance something silly on your head. Easy peesy! Gets them to look directly at your head and up at your camera. The more you get into it and "pretend" to drop whatever you put on your head the funnier you look. Grab anything around the house like a banana, their favorite toy, or even the remote. They love when you ham it up, so act silly!

Tip #4

Play a good old fashion game of 'Simon Says' with a twist. Instead of touching parts of their body do facial expressions (sad, excited, happy, serious, silly, etc). It is a perfect game to get multiple expressions of your child and they have fun doing it.

Tip #5
One of my favorites is to say off the wall things like, "is that a banana coming out of your nose?". The more creative you are the better! Here are some silly ones to start with:
"Your feet smell like pizza"
"Is that peanut butter all over your chin"
"Oh no, you only have one eye"
"Wow, you have a fish coming out of your ears"
"Don't move! You have a zebra on top of your head"

Tip #6
 I like to do a little self violence to get some of the best giggles and smiles. Try pretend tripping and blaming it on them. You can pretend that your leg won't stop shaking or your eyes won't stop blinking, anything to get their attention on the camera. Once you get them to smile and laugh stop real fast and snap a couple.

Lastly, make sure to have fun! Kids love when you get silly with them. Put on your acting face and try to be as silly as possible. The bigger your movements the better the smiles.

Make sure to go "like" my facebook fan page here so you can be on the look out when I offer more tips and tricks for shooting with your own camera.

HAPPY MONDAY!!!