Want to take a picture that will stand out and capture the
everyday essence of a child? Forget the conventional dressed up photos and aim
toward lifestyle photography with your clients. By breaking out of the mold,
you can create photos for your clients that will capture elements beyond the
flash, creating a time capsule photo for the child and parent. We suggest
utilizing these tips in your studio, where a child will be less distracted and
where outfit or backdrop changes are easily accomplished. So grab some snacks,
pump up the playtime tunes and follow these tips for capturing great children
portraits:
1. Let them dress up
Costumes aren’t just for Halloween anymore. Ditch the
Easter attire and have the parents bring along favorite “dress up” clothes. Are
they character-themed? Even better. Dressing up will let their personality
shine through and parents can choose solid backdrops or themed backdrops to
complement the costume. We offer a full line of
Solid Color Poly Cloths and
Computer Painted Backdrops to complement either choice.
2. Have them bring along their lovey
Don’t know what a lovey is? It is the new popular
term for that special object a child cannot live without (think Linus and his
blanket). For a homey feel to these photos, use a realistic
Denny Mfg. Neoprene Roll Up Floor with a hardwood design. These neoprene floors provide a soft cushion
surface, allowing children to roll around and play comfortably. Parents not
interested in these photos? Have them bring the lovey anyways—the shoot will go
much easier with it nearby!
3. Get them to play with their favorite toy(s)
Invite parents to bring along other favorite toys and
capture every day playtime. Create the look of a home’s interior by adding a
baseboard to the backdrop and floor setup. Next step? Let playtime begin and snap away.
4. Mess it up a little
Some of the best pictures come when children are
happily being their messiest (hello, baby smiling and eating spaghetti,
anyone?). Whether it’s a cake smash or painting at an easel, the smiles come a
lot easier when we let kids be….well, kids. The child and the mess is the focus
of this shot, so we recommend using a
Solid Color Poly Cloth Backdrop (a
washable, dryer safe backdrop available in a variety of colors) or, if looking
for a high key backdrop, you can’t go wrong with the
Denny Mfg. Photo WhiteVinyl (a water resistant backdrop that easily wipes clean).
5. Encourage parent participation!
Rather
than bark orders, have the parents get into playtime with the children. You may
be able to get a few parent/child photos to help sweeten your end results
Denny Manufacturing Co., Inc. is the world’s largest
manufacturer of backdrops, props and related studio accessories. Find out more
about Denny Mfg.’s products at
http://www.dennymfg.com
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