Welcome to Week 9 of the Color, Click, Capture photography challenge hosted by East9thStreet, A Helicopter Mom, Nap Time Is My Time and Sunshine and Sippy Cups. This week our color is WHITE.
The only white thing I could come up with was a bowl of popcorn. This year we didn’t have much of any snow, so that wasn’t an option. My white tile floors are NEVER clean so there was no way I was showing a picture of that!
Our tip this week comes from CMT Photography. Christy M. Tsiantos is a lifestyle photographer in the Charlotte, NC area. She describes her style as Modern Lifestyle Photography, capturing those action-packed moments that will become memories of a lifetime. Twirling, jumping, running, playing, swinging, hugging, laughing… it’s all about capturing portraits of things that happen every day and showcasing them in a beautiful, artistic way.
Most parents have had this scenario play out. It’s the (insert momentous occaion here) and you need to get some great photos of the kids to capture the moment. You find yourself saying things like, “Stay still!, “Sit here!,” and the worst – “Say CHEESE!” You end up with an antsy child and a photo complete with ‘scrunchy eyes’ and ‘cheese face’ (you know the one!). Not exactly the photo you will be hanging on the mantle. As a children’s photographer, I see the ‘cheese face’ all the time, and have put together my top tips for helping you bring out and capture your child’s beautiful natural smile that you know and love!
1. Get outside! Taking photos outdoors not only provides much better natural light, but it helps kids feel more relaxed during a photo shoot. Even if you only go out to the front steps, it will make a big difference! Have them smell the flowers, jump high in the grass, swing, pop bubbles – the possibilities are endless. Have them hold hands and skip towrds you while you snap away! And while they are having fun, what’s that you see? A smile. A big, honking, “isn’t it great to be 4 and have not a care in the world?” kind of smile. Have your camera ready and snap more photos than you think you will need so that you will have plenty to choose from!
2. Be silly! Bust out your favorite knock-knock jokes. Have a funny face contest. Ask them to tell you a joke (children always laugh at their own punchlines!!). Do a silly dance. Have them tell you their favorite “silly” word. Play peek-a-boo (with babies). What a joy to capture a photo of your adorable, giggly, hilarious child in that very moment mid-laugh so you can always remember just how silly they were at that particular moment in time. A tickle and then quick SNAP of the shutter works too!
3. Name that Tune! No matter what your singing voice sounds like, breaking into song is pretty much a guaranteed way to get some natural smiles! For toddlers I like to sing, “(Insert name here) Amy, Amy, Jump up and down! Jump Up and Down! Jump up and down! Amy, Amy, Jump up and Down! Please sit down!” Kids LOVE to hear their name in songs – feel free to add their name to your favorite children’s song or make one up! Adding silly words to a song they already know is sure to incite giggles. Think “The itsy bitsy elephant,” “Ring around the doughnut,” or any combination you can come up with should do the trick!
About Sarah
Sarah is a healthcare administrator, mother of one spunky 6-year old daughter and a travel blogger living in Wichita, Kansas. Join her as she tackles life in the midwest one to-do list at a time.
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well I think the bowl of popcorn is perfect! great focus & I love the green in the background.
The photo makes me really hungry…I wanted to have this when we watch movie at home…Anyway, knock-knock jokes can really help make them smile…
MMMM, looks yummy!! I’m thinking movie night is in the works for tonight, complete with popcorn! =)
Great tips!!
The key is to really just have fun with it. If they see you having fun, the more fun they’ll have =)