How to Get Your Kids to Smile Naturally in Photos
Smiles are overrated in family photoshoots, unless they are real, natural smiles. When we do want smiles, we want them natural looking. A parent coaching the kids from the sidelines yelling “SMILE!” “BIGGER SMILE!!” honestly doesn’t make kids smile. They just make a smile shape with their mouth, but the eyes don’t smile. It’s always about the eyes.
You can't direct kids; they aren't actors, so let them be themselves. It should be apparent by now, but never tell kids to "Say Cheese!"
The faces kids make when they say that word has ruined generations of photos. Likewise, ordering a kid to "smile!" doesn't work either. Their mouths contort into a smiling shape, but the faces aren't necessarily happy. I rarely, if ever, ask/tell a kid to "smile!" If a kid wants to smile or laugh, they will. If you want a smile, try and say something that will earn it.
During the pandemic I literally wrote an eBook called: Never Say Cheese: How to Take Great Photos of Your Kids (And Why You Should).
It’s surprisingly easy to get kids smiling in photos, most obviously by doing things that are fun. Joke around, get them to interact, say something that will earn some grins.
If it isn’t happening, put on your longest lens and get out of their immediate sight. Then you mightt get the opportunity to capture genuine emotions.
When people ask, "how do you pose kids?", I say "I have no idea." It's possible but often requires patience and incentivisation. 50% of kids have no interest in being posed, but those kids make the most compelling photos because they stick to the job of being a kid. Keeping the whole thing fun is not-so-secret secret to kids' photography.
