Getting great shots of children can sometimes be tough. Children do not always want to play along, look nice, and smile for the camera even when they don't want to like adults will do. Additionally, children's posed faces are often not the ones that you really want to capture. You want to capture your child in a more natural pose and situation.

#1 Incorporate Something They Like to Do

All kids have things that they like to do. Perhaps the children who you are taking pictures of love to play dress-up, or maybe they really like to play tag, or perhaps their favorite activity is playing with Legos. Ask the parents and figure out what the kids like to do, then provide them with an opportunity to do that. When kids are engaged in an activity that they find fun, they will not even notice that you are taking candid photos of them. Some kids may even enjoy posing and showing off the costume they put together or the Lego creation that they just made.

#2 Let Them Get Their Energy Out

Some kids have a lot of energy, and some kids may have some nervous energy because someone is following them around with a camera. Give the kids some time to play and get out their energy first. You may get some great candid shots during this time, and when the kids have gotten their energy out, you may be able to more easily get them to corporate for some more tranquil photos. Work with the kid's energy levels, not against them.

#3 Add a Friend

Sometimes it can be helpful to add a friend to a photo shoot. When a child has a friend there, they may be more willing to corporate and work with you. They may also be really into having fun with their friend, and not really care about the photos, which can allow you to capture some great candid moments.

#4 Bring Some Books

Almost all kids enjoy being read to. Have the parents read to their child, or have an older child read to the younger child. This can create an opportunity to capture some really tender moments as the child cuddles up with whoever is reading the story as they get absorbed into the words.

#5 Play a Game

Adding a game element is a great way to engage the children. For really young children, peek-a-boo is a classic for capturing great faces and reactions. For older children, games like freeze work really well. Find a game that keeps the children happily engaged and gives you a few minutes to capture some great shots.

The key to getting great photos when working with children is to make the process as fun and as engaging as possible for the children. Try some of the tricks above the next time you are shooting children, and enjoy the great results that come with capturing children being playful and happy.

Contact a company like Photo Perfections for more information and assistance.