The Psychology of Photographing Children

Unless you are someone whom children are attracted to immediately and unconditionally, you might at some time need a few tricks of the trade. Arriving as a stranger, carrying a strange black object (the camera), you could indeed be frightening for a younger child. Many children, however, by the age of four or five are ready and waiting with a generous smile pasted on their face the moment they realize you are there to make a photograph.

Most photographers prefer to photograph without gimmicks, tricks, or toys, but even without them, psychology is always in use. Try to beckon your innermost child to relate to the child or children before you. Take into consideration that they have been put up to this by parents, and may have been told to behave, not to make their usual faces, and so on. This suggests to them that this is going to be drudgery at best, so send the message to them that this will be fun, perhaps interesting, and over with quickly. Tell them that you don’t need for them, or even want them, to smile like they do for a school photograph. If they are old enough (over two), immediately involve them with the camera to see whether you can strike up an interest.