Engineering Joy

The truth is, babies are relatively easy to placate for a photo shoot, and engineering joy for toddlers and older kids isn’t as hard as you might think. Consider having a “photo play date” that works for you, not against you. Generally this means getting outside.

Letting your kids play in the sand, feed ducks and stand on top of picnic benches (whooohooo standing on a table!) is a lot easier and a lot more likely to inspire laughter than sitting them on the carpet at home, and of course, natural light produces better photos.

Prepare for this play date the way you would any trip out with kids—don’t dress them in anything that will promote your own heart failure if it is messed with dirt or food. Tell them what you are doing (going somewhere to take pictures of them playing) and promise them a special snack or trip right afterwards if they can agree to sit down and smile a few times when you ask. And don’t forget to take pictures of moments when they do sit but don’t want to smile. These are often some of my favorites.

Whether you are stepping into your back yard to play with a pile of leaves or driving to a nearby park or beach, make sure to do two things immediately upon arrival. First, take out your camera and start shooting. Capture their excitement over what the landscape has to offer. My kids often jump up and down when they arrive somewhere fun, and this makes a great photo.

Second, give them plenty of play time before you ask anything of them. Do not ask them to sit down before they start to look bored. Doing this can be a lot like dangling a steak in front of a starving dog before placing the meat high up on an unreachable counter.

Once you do ask them to sit or pose, use fun poses and silly situations. For instance, get your daughter to hold her baby brother on her lap for a few shots, then tell her to give him a kiss on his cheek. Ask her what she would have for dinner if she could have anything in the world, or what kind of ice cream she’d like to take a bath in. Keep talking and joking with her. Do not command that she smile, since as you probably already know, that doesn’t work.