I’ve had this question asked of me a few times so I thought I’d share my answer with you all.
‘Do you pose everyone to get your shots?’
Well sort of.
I always pose newborn babies so they look cosy and have their limbs gently placed to look relaxed. Simply placing a newborn baby down does not make for a deliciously cute photo so care is taken to gently move a baby into a relaxed comfortable position. The younger and sleepier the baby the better. (See my post on the best age to photograph a newborn here.) As babies get older (5-8weeks +) they are usually awake, stronger and will move their arms and legs so I don’t worry about posing. I do have props to support older babies so parents don’t have to be in every photo to hold them. This works really well as babies will watch my face and smile right into the camera.
When babies are crawling and pulling themselves up on furniture, I give them just that, a safe environment with furniture that looks fresh and bright for them to discover. All I do is create an environment where I can predict what most babies will do given gentle pointers (like hiding a toy for them to find).
For toddlers and older children I give them a book to read, chat to them about their favourite toy, let them discover the park with its large rocks, creek, grasses and trees and whatever is age appropriate for them. This means I’m not getting them to sit still for the entire session. So the result is spirited, happy and natural photos of your children.
With adults, I give direction on where to stand, where to look and I may adjust how they are holding their baby to get the best angle, adjust collars so a babie’s face is clear, but other than that, a relaxed parent is what looks best in a photo so usually not much posing for them.
During a pregnancy session with a partner I’ll give direction for where to stand or touch the baby belly etc. And I’ll work with how comfortable both parents are as to how I ‘pose’ you both.
I do have hats, nappy covers/bloomers and photo friendly props for kids to hold (to keep their hands from their mouth!) and to distract them. I aim to capture their personality without getting them to say ‘cheese’. And I’ve never had a child I couldn’t get to smile!
My photography style is fresh, sweet, bright and fun. Bring any items that you would like photographed with your children which in turn will make your photos individual or if you have any ideas you’d like to try let me know. It’s always fun for me to having willing photo subjects!
I look forward to meeting your family. ♥
