Whether they belong to you or your clients, kids present a unique challenge (and opportunity) for photographers. How they respond to directions varies with age, not to mention personality, but it’s entirely possible to capture incredible images of any kid who happens to get in front of your lens. The “trick,” really, is to think of photographing kids as an exercise in creative photojournalism. Set up a general plan and then be prepared to pivot and go with the flow while adding your own creative perspective.
Here are 12 kids photography ideas for creative photos you can use whether you’re photographing an only child, siblings or friends, or even a family. These are tips that pros and non-pros alike can use to take better pictures of kids. (Note: A number of the images that accompany the following tips were captured and edited on an iPhone, although you’ll probably want to stick with professional gear when working with clients.)
12 Kids Photography Ideas for Creative Photos
- Let Go of Perfection
- Keep Your Energy Up
- Be Prepared to Use Bribes
- Know When to Say When
- Start the Session with Posed Photos
- Get ‘Em Moving
- Lean In for Sibling Snuggles
- Look for Reflections
- Use Props
- Share an Unusual Perspective
- Get Fitted for Water Hats
- Tell a Story
I’m going to start with a couple of general tips for photographing kids and then I’ll jump into specific kids photography ideas for creative photos. Let’s go!
Kids Photography Ideas for Creative Photos, Tip #1: Let Go of Perfection
This is one general rule I follow whenever I photograph kids and it always seems to work. For many people, it’s easier said than done. We tend to stress more with delivering perfect photos for paying clients, but I’ve found that if I worry less about capturing a perfectly posed photo and focus more on capturing fun, authentic moments, I always end up with better images. In fact, creating more opportunities to capture creative photos usually allows me to build a good enough rapport with the kids to get them to pose for a few traditional portraits as well.
Tip #2: Keep Your Energy Up
Keep your energy up throughout the session. More often than not, kids will match your energy and fizzle out quickly if you’re not keeping them engaged. This will show in the photos. It helps to interact with the kids as more of a playmate and let them know that you plan to have fun together.
Throughout the shoot, ask them silly questions, as well as getting-to-know-you stuff like their favorite food, ice cream, color, shows, interests, and so on. You’ll quickly learn that most kids enjoy talking about themselves (not unlike adults). You can then use that information to help inspire a reaction from the kids when you need it.
Tip #3: Be Prepared to Use Bribes
We all work for something, don’t we? It has been my experience that kids are more likely to cooperate during a photo session if they know they’re going to get “paid.” The price? You can usually get kids on board for the shoot (at least for a while) with a handful of candies (jelly beans, gummies, smarties, etc.), dollar-store prizes, or promises of treats later, assuming parents are up for it. Just like adults, kids may grow to expect higher wages the longer they work for you, so be prepared to deliver.
Tip #4: Know When to Say When
Sometimes, even bribes don’t work. If you’re trying to capture a particular shot and it’s just not working out, perhaps to the point of causing a meltdown (either your own or the kid’s), you have two options. Spoiler alert: neither of the options include keeping at it, at least not right away.
Instead, you can either move on to a new pose or scenario, or you can take a pause from shooting and play some games. Clocking out for a minute to play some games and “get the wiggles out” can do wonders for the session and bring the kids back into the session. It might even create an opportunity for great photos that you weren’t necessarily planning on getting. In the event that you do experience a meltdown, however, go ahead and capture a couple of those images, too. Parents often love having at least a couple of these moments included in the set. It may not be funny that second, especially for the kid, but they’re usually good for a laugh or two later.
And now we get to specific kids photography ideas for creative photos.
Kids Photography Ideas for Creative Photos, Tip #5: Start the Session with Posed Photos
Even when your goal is to creatively capture candid moments, I recommend starting out with a couple of gently posed “safety” shots. This is mostly for paid shoots. Some photographers call these traditional posed photos “mantle” shots, the pictures most likely to get printed, framed, and placed on the mantle. In these pictures, the subjects typically look at the camera with a soft smile. If you’re having trouble getting their attention, you can try a number of techniques to get them to look at the camera, including the following:
- Make noise using either your voice or a noisemaker (the whackier the better – don’t be afraid to embarrass yourself)
- Try using an app like Prankster Mouth Off and holding up to your face while talking to the kid(s)/group before holding up your camera and snapping some photos
- Have an assistant or family member who is not in the photo wave a toy from behind you
- Offer the kid(s) one of the previously mentioned bribes
It’s good to knock these out before the kids burn out and decide they’re finished with the session, which sometimes happens pretty early on. If you read the room and the kids aren’t ready to settle in for the safety shots, move on and come back to them.
Tip #6: Get ‘Em Moving
Adding motion to your photos can quickly boost their visual appeal. While kids rarely love to sit still and pose for photos, they’re usually more than happy to take a walk or even run around the location. The beauty of it is the action lends itself to creating authentic, candid moments that capture the kids being themselves. There are no forced smiles and they don’t have to look into the camera.
Here are some actions you can cue to add movement to otherwise static images:
- Walking
- Running
- Laughing
- Playing
Capturing an image like the one above is simple. Pose the parents first and then ask the kids to run around them in a large circle. Be sure to spread them out and capture multiple images to ensure you get great expressions.
Tip #7: Lean in for Sibling Snuggles
Similar in nature to the previous advice, this tip works especially well when photographing siblings, as the name implies. Ask the kids to lean into one another and go for a hug. If you’re photographing three or more kids, ask them to lean into the kid or kids in the center. It helps to know the kids’ names so that you can personalize the cue and say something like, “Everybody lean into Olivia and give her a squeeze!” You might also ask the kids to tickle one another as this usually generates great, authentic smiles and laughs.
Cuddling also works well for photos with parents.
Tip #8: Look for Reflections
I love to use reflective surfaces in photos for a number of reasons. First, reflections add a unique compositional element to the image by literally mirroring our subject. They can also be used to minimize distractions in a scene and conceal unwanted elements. The great thing about it is that you can pretty much find a reflective surface anywhere you go, including window fronts in downtown areas, puddles on the ground, table or countertops at home, or even the smartphone in your pocket. You can also use actual mirrors (I’ve kept a 12”x12” mirror in my bag before) or other tools like convex lenses or prisms.
The smartphone, which most of us carry at all times, is one of my favorite go-to’s for creating reflections. In the image above, I used a smartphone to conceal part of the wall and add a reflection for compositional interest. I also happened to capture and edit this photo using another iPhone. When doing this, just be sure to hold the camera close to the edge of the reflective surface to make it look seamless. You shouldn’t be able to see the edge of the phone, or whatever object you are using, to create the reflection.
Tip #9: Use Props
Another quick way to boost visual interest is to use props in your creative photos. I once used a budget-friendly lantern and LED string lights to create a whimsical fairy lantern. You can find props on location to use as compositional tools as well. For example, in the image above, I asked my subject’s mom and an assistant to drop leaves around her. I then captured the falling leaves over multiple shots and used Photoshop to create a composite.
The final image used the leaves as foreground elements to add depth to the image and amplify the seasonal theme. I highly recommend using a tripod to make it easier to align the images as layers in Photoshop. You can find the full tutorial for the falling leaves composite image here.
Sometimes, you can use light and the atmosphere as props. Well, sort of. Adding Atmosphere Aerosol to a scene will allow you to quickly create a dramatic, cinematic look as the light spreads across the fog. It doesn’t work as well in windy areas, but if the location cooperates, all you need to do is spray the aerosol until it fills your frame and then snap your photos.
Tip #10: Share an Unusual Perspective
Anybody can simply “walk up” and capture a point-and-shoot image. With a little effort, however, you can share an unusual perspective to capture more creative photos. A simple way to do this is to ask your subject to lie on the ground and then capture a top-down photo. It breaks from the norm and instantly makes the photo more interesting to look at.
The images above offer another example of taking an ordinary scene and using a unique perspective to add visual appeal. All I needed to do here was shoot from a bottom-up perspective to add a unique dimension to the playground toys and my kids.
Tip #11: Get Fitted for Water Hats
This definitely falls on the quirkier side of kids photography ideas for creative photos, but it’s fun to do if you have the means. While I haven’t used this technique when photographing a client’s kids, I wouldn’t rule it out, especially if you’re already familiar with the client’s family or your work leans more towards a day-in-the-life sort of lifestyle photography.
This technique (inspired by Tim Tadder), is probably one of the more difficult shots to capture on the list for a host of reasons, but it’s worth the effort. In addition to your basic camera and lens, here’s what you need to pull off this shot:
- Dark backdrop
- Backdrop stand
- Water balloons
- Sharp object to pop the balloons
You can watch the full tutorial for this shot in the video below from Adorama’s YouTube channel:
Kids Photography Ideas for Creative Photos, Tip #12: Tell a Story
If you’re at all familiar with my work, then you already know the emphasis I place on using wide, medium, and close-up angles to tell a more complete story during my photo sessions. It’s a widely used tool in cinema, and for good reason. We can use wide angles to include the environment and set the scene for our subjects. Then, we can move in closer to reveal more detail and focus on our subjects.
Conclusion
I hope you found these 12 kids photography ideas for creative photos helpful. You can find additional tips here on the blog as well. If you talk to photographers who regularly photograph kids, they’ll tell you that the struggle is real with kids during family sessions. If you have kids of your own, then you already know. Fortunately, we can call on our skills as photographers to work past any challenges and capture creative, meaningful photos of our client’s kids, as well as our own. It requires patience on everyone’s part, but the final product is more than worth it. Kids grow up quick, but these portraits can freeze time and give parents a keepsake they’ll treasure forever.
