As the children grow older, it seems that it’s harder to capture a natural smile out of them. I’m better off not telling them to smile or I’d get a grotesque upper/lower-teeth-showing “cheeeeeese” of a smile or I’d get a close-lipped smirk tightly pulled across their faces. Do you find it’s the same way with your kids?
I prefer capturing candid moments, although I have to admit that I often ask them to pose for me, too. With this particular picture, I’d wanted both Josh and Zoë on the rock, but only Josh agreed. And then I asked him to smile. He smirked gave me his version of a smile. I then asked him to tell us a joke. That always works. He would start his joke and oftentimes he would be so tickled that he’s already laughing way before he even gets to the punch line. And then I would click away.
49 COMMENTS:
Beautiful picture! And, the tactic of telling a joke to get a more natural smile works every time!
-Jessica
I love what you did with that photo--beautiful. Love it in B &W.
Oh he is too cute! And I love the editing. Beautiful!
Sweet photo and great finish work. Happy WW!
same thing happens with my kids!
will have to try the telling jokes tactic! am still on a hunt for a good picture of big k.
You are so right! Every time I ask them to smile they give me this fake pasted on smile but if I make them forget by saying or doing something that makes them naturally smile, it works so much better. Great photo! :)
What a great picture of Josh!! I'm starting to be able to get natural smiles from my almost 8 year old, but the 5 1/2 year old? Not so much. He doesn't like me taking his picture in the first place, so I either have to get candids or silly faces. Maybe I should ask him to tell a joke next time and see how that goes :)
I know exactly what you are saying. Princess either begs me to take her photo, or screams at me to take the camera away. I prefer to take the candid shots too, and sometimes they are the best shots you can get, just really lovely, like yours! :)
Happy WW!
what a priceless shot. love it in b&w too.
So you know I don't have kids but I do have nieces and nephews. When I tell my niece to smile, I get the most awkward grin ever. When I capture her naturally, man...she's a real beauty. I think that's what being a kid is all about...being allowed to be yourself. And we as the photographers should stand by and wait for the perfect op. Great shots!
What a perfect expression you captured! He is just so handsome and dear.
Beautiful pictures! Love the black and white.
this is a lovely photograph. I have to bribe my teenagers now if I want them to pose for me, I had to make my son french toast in exchange for one shot the other day!
Love the black and white effect on the photo.. My boys too will look everywhere except the camera.. have given up asking them to smile for the camera.
gorgeous shot! and I feel that right now I wish my son would not be so candid cause that's all the photos I have of him... sheesh. but what can you say with a 2 year old. hm...
Gorgeous! LOVE his Mickey golf shirt. :o)
I just had this conversation with my 7 year old last week for school picture day. We practiced "non-cheesy" smiles.
Gorgeous shot!!! I NEVER tell my kids to smile either....or say cheese!!! I get the worst faces ever!!!! So I wait....tell jokes, let them make some funny faces & then shoot....and eventually I get a couple!
Sweet photo and a great strategy for a natural smile.
Great idea with the jokes, I think I may steal that one. My son almost always puts that forced smile on his face. That is when I decided to invest in a good zoom lense, so I can snap candid shots of him playing with his friends with out him even knowing it most of the time. Super secret spy mommy is what he calls me from time to time
Beautiful capture!
Great picture! You are so right about the cheesey smiles! I can not for the life of me get my son to give me a picture without being silly or way too far over the top. I'm going to have to try some jokes!
Cute! My son is the SAME way--he usually doesn't even look at the camera. But that's why I prefer candid as well. Although, a smile is nice every now and then :)
That is a beautiful photo. I love the black and white one too.
candid moments are always so great. i love these pics :)
It definitely is hard to capture a natural smile from my kids. Beautiful photo.
Wonderful smile!!
I know exactly what you mean about the awkward smile!! Candids are my best friend at this stage ;o) Great pic!
Yep!! It is very hard to get a real smile out of the kids these days. They really ham it up when I ask them to smile. But this picture is perfect. So natural!!! Love it. And the light is amaizng too.
That is such a good idea! My niece is going thru the most awkward smile phase. all my pictures of her look like she has this awful grimance :)
Such a cute picture! I have the same problem with Myles, every time you ask him to smile you get a really silly smile. I try to trick him too! LOL
I love that the picture is equally beautiful in black and white and color.
What a cute shot!! Love candids.
adorable little smile, your technique works well! I love both versions also!
I'm sayin'. My almost seven year old Granddaughter Honer give me this super fake full mouth toothy grin if she know I'm gonna snap. I call it her mad mad monkey smile. Josh is such a handsome little Prince. Great pics girl!!!
OOps, what is wrong with me today???
God bless ya and have a super day sweetie!
I thought that picture was lovely in colour, but It's gorgeous in BW!! :)
Nipping back to answer you ~ I currently shoot with a Canon Powershot S3 IS. I am aiming at buying a NIKON D5000 (although I'd probably go for a D90 if I could afford it, however I like the swivel screen ~ I've grown accustomed to it!). I'm not sticking with Canon because I think they have 'noise' issues at the pro-sumer end of the range and in England we have a LOT of winter and hence low-light. Nikon images seem somehow crisper too me, and I like that!
beautiful capture, it is so true when you want them them to smile it's the best to trick them to have that natural smile :)
Oh, I totally agree! I love the candid captures and this a PERFECT one! He looks so happy! :-) My oldest is almost 9, and we get the almost painful smiles, and my 6 year old is doing something weird lately, where it looks like he has a chin implant. You might have noticed they have been missing from my blog lately! HA! :-) Another GORGEOUS picture...so lovely! I also just scrolled down and saw your "water" picture. Wow, wow and WOW! The orange umbrellas make me so HAPPY!
Ha, ha...I agree. The candid ones are just the best. It usually works to just sit around with the camera and talk to them. I love how you've caputured the light in the background. Really beautiful!
Erika B
Oh, man...that's so true with my 2, as well! I love your 'tell a joke' tip :D
Yeah, sometimes the posing gets a bit much. A while ago I asked Dahlia NOT to look at me and no smile. She answered "What? No cheese?". Crazy kid.
This is such a great shot of Josh on the rock. I really like his expression. Is he his own best audience for his jokes?
:)
So, so, so sweet. I feel like he's growing up, before my very eyes!!
Yep, making them laugh always works over here too. Unfortunately sometimes we have to say some really silly (kinda crass) words to get to work! ;)
Great shot!
This is stunning in BW. I like the greens in the color too, but OOOOOoh! the BW. Nice conversion.
Ah, this is sweet!!
Donna
Our Blog: Double Happiness!
Gorgeous picture! And yes my kids totally pose for pictures and that makes them look SO funny!
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