children

When I set out to do a child's photo session, I have a few things in mind.

First of all, I need my subjects to be relaxed and comfortable with me. If a
child needs a little time to warm up to me, we take that time. I don't rush
kids into pictures, and I try to encourage the parents to do the same by
not pressuring the kids to pose for me. I believe in taking the time to get
the shot right. And "right" requires a relaxed child.

Smiles - I love to see a child smiling in images, but some kids need a
little de-programming to get to the real smiles. Many kids have learned
that "cheese" means SMILE (a big smile), and they freeze into that pose
until they hear the camera shutter release. That's great for school
pictures, but I like to try and get past that smile into the smile you see
when they're playing games, riding bikes, or finding lizards. There's a
happiness behind those genuine smiles that the auto-smile just doesn't
show. I love to let kids find their own props, such as sticks or flowers, and
keep those in hand for their pictures. As long as it's safe, it's not only
o.k., but it adds to the image.

By nature I am not a one-shot photographer. People don't usually hire me
for "one nice picture". I aim for a series of images that will capture a
glimpse of who your child is at this point in time. I shoot a lot of frames,
and show a lot of proofs. Ideally, I want to be able to offer you an album
full of images of your child (children).

So what do you need to do to prepare for your child's shoot? Have them in
clean clothes, in a good mood, (well fed & rested) and that's about it. If
we're shooting in your home, make sure the better lit rooms are tidied up
so we can move about the house freely taking pictures as we go.