Quick Tips for Taking Simple Portraits

Alright I'm guilty - I took the week off for Christmas time. My family is spread out all over the United States (including Hawaii) and I took a little break to enjoy them as they were all in town for the holidays. I hope you enjoyed your Christmas as well! I'm lucky to have three beautiful sisters that I get to photograph for different occasions; this sister o' mine wanted to get a few portraits taken while we were together. Some people might think in order to get good head shots, you have to go to a photo studio, have expensive lights or pay a lot of money to go get them done. I am going to show you how we took some simple portraits over the weekend just using window light and a simple backdrop. 

For these photos, this was my simple setup.

I carried my backdrop and stand up to the master bedroom and placed it at about a 45 degree angle to the window. I made sure to ask what her 'good-side' was (the side of her hair she liked better to show in photos; at least 90% of women I photograph prefer one side over the other so I always like to ask... maybe you don't need to ask men ;) and faced that side closest to the window light.

I like to have a chair or a stool for my subject to sit on so I can shoot some of them sitting as well as some of them standing. 

It was easy getting my sister to relax and laugh to get a genuine smile because she's my best friend. If you try to have a conversation and get to know your subject, rather than focus so much on posing them and fabricating the shot, you'll probably get better results that show their personality and look more natural.  

Her new baby is every bit as sweet, and then some, so I couldn't resist snapping a few of her as well. I shot all of these images at f/3.2 with my 50mm lens. 

If you don't want to spend the money, you can make these even more simple and have an assistant hold up a white sheet behind your subject as a backdrop. If you know you'll use a backdrop in the future, I'd highly recommend buying one! It will make life much easier. Here is a great backdrop support stand that you can find on Amazon for only $34.99. That is hard to beat! It has great reviews. You can also find a roll of seamless white backdrop paper for $37.30. This is about a 4.5 foot wide roll, if you want a much wider backdrop, look into the 107" rolls like this one, they are more expensive but are twice as wide if you need the extra space. You can get both a stand and a backdrop for only $70.00 and start shooting some great portraits. 

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Tips for Taking Great Photos of Kids

Kids are one of my most favorite subjects to photograph. They are energetic, happy, hilarious and they don't care what anybody thinks. BUT, every once in a while, those adorable, joyful, carefree kids get tired, hungry, bothered, bored, mad, sad or frustrated. Any one or combination of those can turn a hopeful photo shoot into a no good, very bad day for both the child and the parents. If you are prepared ahead of time, you can capture great candid shots of kids with shining with their best smiles.

These are my seven tips for getting great photos of kids:

• Don't let the kids feel pressure of having to smile and behave their absolute best, or else. Everyone wants perfect photos of their kids, which usually leads to enormous amounts of stress. Be cool and calm and make it a fun experience; make it an adventure, and not a threat.

• Get on their level. When I start a session with kids I always find ways to relate to them and find out what they are all about- favorite movies, characters, toys, treats, music or anything that puts me on their side and not another adult making them do something they might not be that excited about. It's okay to let them bring a favorite toy. When you get them talking about things that make them happy, you're bound to have a few genuine smiles. Become their friend! 

• Get them laughing. When parents tell kids to smile for the camera or say cheese, they quickly remember why they don't want to be there. I love having a sibling or parent behind my camera making funny faces or telling inside jokes to get them laughing! Families know how to make each other laugh even if one of them is grumpy. If I'm the only one working for a smile, I have no shame in being silly to get someone to smile.

• Bring assistants to help you out. By this I mean TREATS. I always carry a pack of Skittles or M&Ms for a quick reward- especially for those that might be too young to reason with. If the water works and tantrums have started, they usually will at least sit still and savor a small treat for a few happy seconds. A toddler chewing is better than a toddler screaming 😂. I also bring bubbles (what kid doesn't love them) and if I know a baby will be there, some kind of toy that makes noise to get them to look up at the camera. This can be a huge help!

• Try not to force it. If they aren't happy or cooperating just take a break and let them play! I'll have them explore the location and get their mind off of photos. I get the best candid shots when kids are in their element; exploring, running, playing and laughing. Mix things up and get them moving, let them be themselves. 

• Give the parents a heads up before the shoot to make sure their little ones are fed and well-rested. Even the happiest of kids fall apart if they are being told to sit up and smile at a stranger when it's well past nap time. My photo shoots of families that have young kids go much better if they are in the morning or after nap time. 

• Kids can easily sense tension. If a parent (or better yet both) is stressing out, help them relax and have them let you take the reins. Bring the fun back to the shoot, let the kids be themselves and just have a good time.

Taking pictures of kids should be a fun experience, not a terrible one. Take your time and relax, trying your best to allow them to have fun. If they think they are just in a new place, exploring and getting to play, you will get great genuine smiles and really good candid shots of kids!