Children's Portrait Photography Handbook

ing can be intimidating to children, particularly since you
are a stranger. Always ask first and then be gentle and ex-
plain what you are doing. If the child is shy, have Mom
or Dad move the child per your directions.
Work Quickly.With kids, especially small children,
you don’t have much time to work, so be sure your lights
and background are roughly set before bringing the child
into the studio or into the area where you’re going to
make the photograph. You have about thirty minutes in
which to work before the child gets tired or bored or
both. This is another reason to have an assistant who can

hand you a new memory card, adjust a light, or the fold

of a blanket without you having to move from the cam-

era position. Always be ready to make a picture; children’s

expressions are often fleeting. That said, you cannot rush

a good portrait. Be prepared to spend some time laying

the groundwork—gaining the child’s trust and letting

him acclimate to the strange surroundings.

The Face.

Head Positions.There are three basic face positions in

portraiture. They dictate how much of the face is seen by

POSING 51

A child’s eyes are full of hon-
esty and genuine personality.
Little kids are incapable of
guile so what you see re-
flected in their eyes is true
self. Janet Baker Richardson
captured this beautiful girl
in a pensive happy moment.
Janet wanted only the face
and hands sharp so she pho-
tographed the girl wide open
with a relatively fast shutter
speed by existing daylight.