I have been photographing Victoria and her son since he was a tiny baby. There is something that she does (or doesn’t do, rather) that makes for a successful session every time. She never says, “Nathan, smile at the camera!”
Instead, she plays with him! Yep, she just plays with him. They run around, they laugh, they hug, they kiss, and it’s magic every time. Of course he looks at me sometimes and smiles, but it’s never because we are forcing him to. I am gently directing the frames, with small suggestions like, ‘Walk towards me on this path,’ or ‘Sit here and cuddle,’ so she’s never feeling awkward or wondering what to do.
If you want to have the most successful family session, I really encourage you to let go of the idea that a perfect family portrait has to have everyone looking and smiling directly into the camera.
I promise it’s way more fun, less stressful, and the images will evoke more emotion and feeling from you in the long run.
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