The Posing Playbook for Photographing Kids: Strategies and Techniques for Creating Engaging, Expressive Images

Introduction

I LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY. I LOVE THE WORK I DO, the way I am able to do it, and the people I get to spend time with while I stay focused on consistently getting better at my job. And the reason all of that is true is because I’ve been able to stop and confidently define my style. Not right away, though. Initially, I defined it mostly by what it was not, a pretty common approach to defining one’s photographic style. I’ve also failed at enough approaches to be able to rule out quite a bit!

Over time, though, I have come to recognize what I most naturally bring to the table, how that has always been reflected in my style of shooting, and how to better incorporate it into my photo shoots going forward. I know what fundamentals are required in order for me to succeed—and I have practiced them all again and again.

At the root of my style of shooting is a combination of traditional posing that morphs into something quite natural and beautiful through spirited engagement, light-hearted adjustments, and a concerted effort to find the authentic. I want to share much of that with you throughout this book.

In 2003, when I first started shooting professionally, I mostly saw traditional poses in the work that was being produced around me. Generally speaking, these portraits struck me as stiff, unnatural, and sometimes even boring. The poses were often elegant, no doubt. The backdrop could be quite lovely, and the lighting techniques were often well-executed. I admired those aspects a great deal—even more so over time, actually. But these assets were often just repeated in portrait after portrait, so much so that it looked like the only thing swapped from image to image was the actual subject. Thus, from my perspective, the subject appeared to be a rather insignificant part of a repeated portrait. More apparent than all of that, though, was the lack of emphasis on expression. I was struck by that most because it is something that is more significant to me than anything else in a portrait.

In contrast, I was excited to pursue a fresh and unique approach to traditional portraiture, which included more dramatic black-and-white tones, vibrant color, and a major emphasis on storytelling, emotion, and authenticity. This genre of photography was soon referred to as contemporary photography, or later, lifestyle photography. The concept was not just to photograph someone’s likeness, but to try to capture their spirit as well—their personality, their emotion, and many of the inherent characteristics they possessed that felt real and true.

As I progressed with my portraiture, though, I realized that although I wanted to capture the spirit of my subject, I also cared about showcasing them in as flattering a way as possible. Simply put, I wanted to bring out the natural beauty of my subjects. I used my intuition to anticipate the most striking moments to capture during a shoot. Those moments were ones that I’d discovered more through feel and intuition than through technique and the technical aspects of photography. But I started to recognize that without strong lighting, exposure, composition, and framing, the impact of expression would be lessened notably. I wanted to photograph what my subjects were all about, but I also wanted to incorporate some of those tried and true posing methods that truly elevate the look and feel of the subject, as well as the overall impact of the portrait.

From my perspective, if one relies heavily on focused observation as a style of capture, it actually becomes even more critical that he or she learns the techniques associated with traditional photography. Since there is less one can control, being able to implement some level of management over fluid situations creates more opportunity for artful capture.

Photographing something differently just for the sake of being different doesn’t always mean you are creating something compelling or visually striking. But photographing something in a way that draws the viewer in, in a way that is innovative or memorable or truly original, means you are also likely harnessing some of those traditional philosophies—just with your own personal view, a potentially modern twist, and your unique sense of perception.

CHAPTER 1

Organic

Directive

Posing

WHAT IS ORGANIC DIRECTIVE POSING?

I have slowly morphed my style of shooting into one that is based around what I call Organic Directive Posing, a term I coined to define my personal method for creating a look and feel with portraits. To utilize Organic Directive Posing means to actually pose a subject in a more traditional way, one that conveys elegance or a more thoughtful composition, but to engage with him or her in an exceptionally light-hearted manner while doing so, leaving a wide margin for natural adjustments. I engage with my subjects in an authentic way, with great enthusiasm or great restraint. Sometimes I bring a significant amount of energy to a shoot. Other times I am purposely slowing things down, actively calming the energy during a session. Most of the time, though, it’s a mix of both extremes with a whole lot in between. It’s a consistently conscious effort to engage with my subjects in a way that produces the results we are all hoping to get.

I start with the pose I have in mind, I back up, and then I naturally let them settle into something that is more them, something that better suits their personality. I keep a strong focus on their expression, though, since that matters more to me than anything else. I don’t ever want a more flatteringly posed portrait to come at the cost of authentic imagery. I want my subjects to look beautiful, well lit, and well positioned, yes—but I also want them to look real.

START WITH SOMETHING

Because the entire concept of orchestrating a photo shoot is a bit odd, you really need to just jump in and start somewhere. Think about it, a typical scenario is often two sets of strangers agreeing to meet at a studio or in a field or at a house, or wherever, so that one can photograph the other. I mean, all things considered, that’s pretty weird.

To combat that inherent awkwardness, I have created a rhythm to pace how shoots will go. I meet up with a client, I chat with them for a little while, we pick an area to shoot—or a backdrop in front of which to shoot—and then I just have my subjects plop down. There’s absolutely no effort to put them through any posing steps at first. I am purposely not focused on it at all. I am building rapport while checking on my lighting, selecting gear options, and dialing in my settings. All of this is happening while they are just starting to settle down. Once all the basics are in place, and we’ve all become a bit more comfortable, I just start shooting. The whole point is to dive right in, ensure everyone is feeling more relaxed, and then shift to make things look (and, of course, feel) better.

By the time everything is going more smoothly, I suggest a pose by showing them one or guiding them through it, whichever is easier. I start with something I think would fit them well, but I know that they will settle into the pose and make something different of it—something that is more them, more authentic, and often better. And if it’s not better? I let them know everything is great, I click a few frames, and I continue to shift things a bit more. I keep things light-hearted while I keep going, always in search of better.

CONSISTENTLY ADJUST AS NEEDED

If I were conducting a photo shoot and everything was going amazingly well—and my subject looked perfect and the lighting looked perfect and my settings were lined up perfectly—I would still not want to stick with that. Because there is only a small window of time where that will look fresh and authentic. After a surprisingly short amount of time, holding a pose becomes work. To hold one’s hand this way and keep a smile that way while facing the other way requires effort. It works perfectly only for a short while. After that, it all starts to look and feel strained.

I find myself consistently adjusting a multitude of things as needed. Perhaps it’s asking the subject to drop her shoulders, or it’s me dropping the exposure a stop, or it’s a change in framing, or it’s waiting for a smile to calm down a bit. There really are so many little factors that can be shifted. (I can go on about this for a while. And, unfortunately for some around me, I often have.)

The bottom line is that it’s the constant adjustments, the energy that keeps moving as we keep moving, that carry us through a portrait session as seamlessly and successfully as possible.

CHAPTER 2

The

Psychology

Behind

Photographing

Children

PHOTOGRAPHING CHILDREN IS, MOSTLY, an exercise in energy. Not just the energy you need to keep up with them, but the energy they put out, or hold back, for you to hopefully notice. One of the most impactful things you can do to improve your work as a portrait photographer is to take the time to learn how to read your subjects quickly.

When it comes to children, you often don’t have that much time with them before their mood changes. They become hungry, tired, cold, hot, itchy, or are simply finished with the shoot altogether. So the sooner you can get a read on who you will be photographing, the more authentic your portraits will be.

READING YOUR SUBJECTS QUICKLY

There are two solid methods to use when preparing to photograph a child. The first is the simplest, but not always the most accurate. The second requires more effort, but if practiced frequently enough, it is by far the most effective. To make this simpler, though, if you’ve never practiced the art of reading a child’s personality before, it’s easier to start with the first method until you become fluent in the second.

Method One: Ask the parents about the child’s personality. I have a number of questions I ask of the parents, and their answers tell me a great deal about what to expect when I photograph their child or children.

Method Two: Tune in strongly to your innate intuition and read the personalities of the children you meet. Utilizing some of the feedback you get from their parents helps you do to this quickly, and you will only become more attuned over time, especially after putting method one into practice. I feel like I can do this in under sixty seconds at this point. I can actually be quite annoying by sharing this learned skill with others. I have to learn to do that less.

Let’s start with method one.

Sometime before the shoot occurs, during a pre-meeting, phone call, or even via email,