I love shooting children. And in this particular case, let’s assume by shoot, I mean photograph. Children are really wonderful precious things, and I really think they make a wedding wonderful. Why then is it sometimes so difficult to photograph them? I’ll try to break down some of the problems and try to suggest some ideas for overcoming them.

Stop saying “Smile!”

First, children have been told to smile over and over again when they are being photographed. The result is that kids instinctively put on a toothy grin that is anything but natural and authentic. The forced smile is apparent in the photos. So my first suggestion is stop telling kids to say cheese or smile. Ask them to look at the camera and and allow them react how they want for a more authentic image.

Prepare for the Moment

Rather than sit in the front pew during a wedding, I like to follow the bride down the aisle. This enables not only enables me to get a photo of the groom’s face the first time he sees her, but also to photograph the reactions of guests as the turn around in anticipation of seeing her. This is a great time to photograph children.

Use Dirty Tricks

Any time you try to force a kid to look a certain way, the resulting image will always look… well, forced. Allowing children to relax and be themselves is the key to photographs that go beyond the “say cheese” look to create a truly evocative image. One way to do this for kids and adults is to take a photo and tell everyone to relax while you change film, cards, batteries, etc… Then when people are relaxed, I turn around and get a shot that is more natural and authentic.

Capture a Moment

As a photojournalist, I try to avoid images where the subject is camera aware. One of the best times to photograph children are when they are doing something else. These can be the most powerful and natural images of all. As always, the key is always being ready. I carry two cameras with me at a wedding, and one of them always has a long lens that I can use to capture images that might be too far away for me to get with a wider lens. Always being ready for anything is a must at a wedding. Often times, you only have one chance to get the shot because once the subject becomes aware you are there, you loose the chance to capture an authentic moment.

Putting it Together

Children photograph best when they don’t know they are being photographed. That means that often you only get one chance to capture an authentic moment before the sound of the shutter causes the subject to be aware of the camera. This means that a photographer really has to be on his or her game. You need to be confident and fast to get the image right, because perfect moments are fleeting. You also might have to resort to dirty tricks by telling your subjects when you are done when you really aren’t. Whatever you do, stop saying, “Smile!”

About the Author:  Timothy Faust is an award winning wedding photographer from Breckenridge, Colorado. He specializes in destination wedding photography in Colorado and all across the world.

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