Hello to my amazing friends, families and blog readers. I am so excited to give you the first of a three-part series on Portraits That Work. Each month I will be walking you through what makes strong photographs and what to look for when selecting your next school, family or teen photographer. This week we are starting off with classic children’s portraiture and Modern School Portraits that I take for several Dallas areas preschools.
In the age of smartphones, we have grown accustomed to snapping snapshots of our children every day. Our phones have watched them grow up and documented them every step of the way. However, one thing that I think will never go out of style (no matter how many phones we carry) is a classic children’s portrait. That special portrait that is taken in a real photo session with a real camera. These images are the ones we enlarge and put on our walls and eventually pass down to our children’s children.
Below are a few of the key elements that I have found that really “work” when taking a classic children’s portrait that will stand the test of time.
Three key elements to a classic school portrait that stands out from the crowd.
1. A Simple Background
A classic portrait with a simple background provides a window into your child’s world. By eliminating the distraction in traditional school portrait backgrounds, the focus becomes 100% on your child and their personality. Little details that may have gotten lost in other settings all the sudden come to the forefront. Those freckles on their nose, the missing tooth or the lock of hair falling across their forehead are much more meaningful. Their natural beauty and expressions come to life + their personality spills out from the image. All of these details become part of a time capsule that will take a parent right back to that stage of life.
2. Genuine Eye Contact
I never force a child to smile for my camera. Some children just don’t have big toothy grins and that is ok by me! However, I do aim to get genuine eye contact in every session. When photographing an individual alone, I love to get eye contact directly with the camera. This is a way to develop an instant connection and get a glimpse into their souls. The eyes can say so much and it’s important to capture them honestly. Genuine photographs require a connection between the subject and my camera and cannot be done in 1-2 shots. As a photographer, I have to have ways to develop trust quickly. I have to get children to connect with me so we can move past the stiff formal shots and capture that beautiful portrait.
3. A Variety of Expressions
As parents, we all know them and spot them a mile away. An expression or smile on our child’s face. It is my deepest desire as a photographer that I give parents a classic portrait of their child that captures not only what they look like at a particular stage in life but the essence of who they are. I want to help Mom or Dad pick up that photo in 10 years and feel as if they have gone back in time to see their own child. A powerful photo can do just that . . . take you right back to the moment and allow you to feel all of the feels. This again takes time and effort but if done corrently the results are simply AMAZING. If my photos do nothing more than that I will consider it a success and job well done.
I hope you have enjoyed this post on classic children’s portraits that work. Stay tuned for the next two . . . teen portraits that work and family portraits that work. Have a great week!
SENIORS| TEENS| FAMILY | SCHOOLS
Shelly Niehaus Photography is a Prosper, TX-based senior and family photographer. I specialize in newborns, seniors, family, and school portrait photography in the Dallas Fort Worth area. I also offer adoption photography for local families through the Red Thread Organization and volunteer for The Gold Hope Project. For more information please contact me so we can start discussing your session.
