subject: Suggested Poses For Child Portraiture [print this page] Suggested Poses for Child Portraiture Suggested Poses for Child Portraiture
Photographing children successfully necessitates ones patience, knowledge on how to break the ice, and the kinds of poses recommended for child portraiture. Whether you decide on a traditional pose or a more spontaneous pose depends on what the photo will be used for and the mood and personality of the child you are shooting.
Professional child photographers will tell you that a pose wherein the subjects head is in a tilted manner or a straight forward manner, or a pose that requires touching the face or placing hands on laps are what you call traditional poses. The said posing styles are ideal if you want the pictures to have a more formal quality.
When you have babies as subjects, great child portraiture is usually achieved through the so called forward facing portraits done indoors. Since babies do not really have control over their actions, you as a photographer should be able to make up for that control deficiency through making use of some structures such as the ones young toddlers can climb on e.g. low step ladders, or floors lain with mats that babies can rest upon. You can then edit the photos to enhance the shots more. A good example of a forward facing portrait done by many professional child photographers is having the toddler sit still on a stool then have the kid smile directly toward the camera.
Professional child photographers will also agree that another way to make your shooting process excellent when you have little kids as subjects will be to shoot angled portraits, still done indoors. To enable the child to look as if he or she were moving during the shots, and for more casual photos, you have to bring in the angles. For example: an angled child portraiture is done by letting your subject sit on a stool with shoulders angled ninety degrees away from the camera with the toddlers head turned in the direction of the lens, with hands folded upon the thighs. With just a little smile from the child, your shots will be good to go.
Outdoor child portraiture is also one of the most recommended methods when shooting kids. This is done in natural light, usually during the late afternoon and early morning of the day. You may let the child pose in the park, or even in the backyard of his or her home. Many professional child photographers take photos of their subjects on a playground swing, playing in grassy areas, etc. Outdoor photos are also expected to be ones that show the big smiles on your subjects faces so you have to ensure that you are able to make the kids relax, have fun, and be able to pose in a more playful manner.
Child portraiture posing styles are not always difficult. It is up to you, whether you are one of the professional child photographers or just one of the newbie photographers, to make your subject more comfortable and more cooperative during the shoot. Choose poses that will suit your subject best and remember that spontaneity, patience, and creativity are all needed for you to be able to come up with photos that show off your subjects real spirit and personality.
