Having been a portrait photographer for the previous 18 years, I have a specific routine of how I approach a portrait shoot, especially when considering the subjects are children and, more often than not, on location.
Whenever I am commissioned for a portrait shoot, the first thing I consider is where the shoot is going to be. I will chat with the client about places that are personal to them and offer suggestions of places that I have already been that I know are photogenic.
I offer advice as to what to wear. This tends to be something plain and classic – no logos, garish spots, strips or patterns that could distract from the portrait. Sometimes, however, clients don’t listen and you then have to deal with trying to make a portrait beautiful when the child is wearing a batman outfit (we have all been there!)
I also offer advice for timings of the shoot. With children, especially little ones, I will always advise that the shoot happens in the morning to avoid grumpy children. If a meal or a sleep is missed in the morning and the shoot is in the afternoon you will be fighting a losing battle and, believe me, a toddler will generally win.
I will always arrive on location early and scout the area for some good spots in which to shoot, working with the lighting conditions. I take some test shots to check the composition is good and plan the journey of the shoot. Locations that I will be looking for are doorways or architecture to frame the subject, textures, colours, leading lines and a sense of the place where we are.
I will then go to the pre-arranged meeting point and wait for the client. Here I will then introduce myself and become friends with the kids! I will always know their names and ages and will get down to their level to engage with them. The introduction part of the shoot is very important! Constant communication is essential for building trust between the child and family, who will then feel comfortable in front of the camera.
With my route already planned, we will then head off to the first location. Again, I will take a test shot to ensure the light is flattering – I will never place the child in first and take the shot if it is in any way wrong as they will just get bored and fidgety, making for uncomfortable and unnatural images.
I am always looking for the best expressions with children. These are the images that always sell, when the parents see the connections and the genuine smiles. As soon as a child gets uncomfortable or impatient, this is the time to move on, the brilliant thing about kids is that they are very honest and will tell you when they are not happy! Distraction is always the best method to win them around, ignoring the complaint and suggesting that you might play a game or sing a song instead will always lead to a more positive reaction.
I always do my best with children to keep the energy high within the shoot and will be chatting with them constantly. The actual shoot time will last as long as the children do, and I will always explain this to the parents. There is nothing worse than overworked and grumpy child at the end of a shoot, when you are still trying to get them to perform. It just isn’t going to make for a happy ending, with stressed out parents. I would rather everybody left on a high having enjoyed the whole experience. This is where the initial planning comes into play, as I can determine when the shoot comes to an end in a neat and positive way.
When we part ways I will give a good detailed explanation of what happens next so their expectations are met. When returning back to the office I will back up and load the images to do a quick run through – it’s great to see the children’s expressions and their happiness. I then leave the shoot for a couple of days to get fresh eyes on the images. As much as possible I try to crop and frame for what I want at the time of shooting, as this ensures the editing process is much quicker, with just a few tweaks of the colours and curves to enable me to produce lovely portraits.
It generally takes me a couple of days after this to send the images to the client. As I shoot all over the country it is not practical for me to always do the sell face to face, so I always share the images online. My clients are happy with this method, as it gives them the time and space to choose their own favourites without feeling pressured.
Shooting with children on location can be immense fun and I love being outdoors, especially in the spring to autumn months. We’re fortunate that the UK has some amazing locations, and the free spirits of the kids I’ve work with, are not confined to the four white walls of the studio. Photographing at a fun location creates more natural expressions, providing images that I would want of my children.
When taking portraits of children, be brave and make silly faces and stupid jokes when out in public to get those playful expressions. This is the bit I secretly love the most… the excuse to be a child again!
