How to Make Your Kids Smile Normal For Pictures | Whitney Beth Photography
 

Step One: Don't. 

I saw this question pop up in a "mommy group" I'm in on Facebook. The mom had family pictures coming up and was worried that her daughter's smile would be her "hamming it up" face. It's a harmless enough question, after all, you want your kid smiling and happy for pictures. I found myself skimming the comment section and found comment after comment of "helpful" advice for this stressed mom. Anywhere from bribing her with treats to tickling in-between shots. There ended up being 100+ comments of moms offering advice and solidarity. While this is all great, I can't help but feel overwhelmed for this poor mom! So mom's out there with kids who smile "weird" this one is for you. 

First of all, my advice as a photographer and also as a mom would be embrace it. She won't smile like that forever, this is just a phase, and what better way to document it than have it make it's grand debut during family pictures. Let me tell you, for an entire year during second grade, I thought I was smiling by simply showing my teeth. No big grin, or crinkly nose, just opening my moth with my teeth clenched. That was it. I could smile just fine if someone made me laugh, but the second I was asked to smile, my face would void all emotion and my teeth would do their thing. Looking back on it now it is hilarious and I'm so glad my mom didn't sign me up for picture retakes. Luckily it only lasted durning second grade and by third grade I had mastered my smile. 

Second, It's not your job to worry about it. Read that again. You hired me to take your family pictures. I know what I'm doing. It is not your job to make your kids smile, it is mine. Let me paint you a little picture; It's family picture day, you're all posed up, ready for the photographer to begin snapping away. Your kid is doing their weird smile. You can see it out of the corner of your eye. You quickly remind them about the ice cream that awaits them after the shoot. The photographer had already taken some shots - but you were talking. Take two! This time you try tickling, but no one was ready for it and it turned into your kid flinching away from you. With each attempt you not only fail, but make you AND the rest of your family more stressed out. Guess what shows up in photos? Stress. Not only that, but one of the powerful qualities of a photograph is the ability to transport you back to that moment. You'll look at these pictures and remember worrying over the smile, and your family will see a stressed out mom. 

So while you may want the "Christmas Card" picture of everyone looking at the camera, (and don't worry, it's obtainable) don't stress about what your kids are doing or smiling like. I might be the odd man out here, but I LOVE photographs that have character and tell a story. They are so much more interesting than the "money shot" with everyone looking and smiling. That's why, during my sessions I play games and tell jokes - I want that movement and that "real life" to shine through. I want to document your family as you are, crazy smiles and all. 

Thanks for reading! I'd love to photograph your family! Send me an email from my contact page and we'll start the process!

(Case in point, my "just want to explore and eat apples, totally done with pictures" kids. But I love these so much!)