How To Take... Kids Portraits

I'm not a great proponent of formal portrait for adults, let alone kids. They rarely sit still and pose how you'd like, and I find the pictures usually end up looking stilted and a bit false. I admire photographers who can get good results from the studio, but I prefer a more candid approach.

Here are a selection of pictures I've taken of friends' kiddies.

[Alexander in front of a window, natural light. His mum was behind me]















[Lizzie getting very sticky when we were out having a cake. The table was in a covered courtyard with a great skylight above]














[Alexander gets a push from Dad. Overcast day, so I got rid of as much sky as possible from the composition. At the playground can be a great place for action shots.]

[Conor & Meghan posing in an old wing chair. Natural daylight from a patio door, and a tight crop to get rid of any background intrusions]

[William - was playing with his mum's hat, as we were about to go out. A bit of fill-in flash gave catchlights in the eyes, without being too harsh on his face]

It's best to get the children in question doing something - perhaps playing with their toys or dressing up. Or, if you're lucky, "caught in the act" of getting sticky, etc.

Of course, if the children aren't yours, you should always get their parents' permission before taking their picture.