I am not sure why it happens, but sometime around age 4 1/2 to age 6 1/2 kids get in the “awkward smile for the camera” phase of life . They each seem to pickup this really forced smile and every time you point a camera their way… bam! Out pops that weird awkward face. The more you talk to them about it…the more awkward it gets.

People always ask me, “how do you get your kids to always smile so perfectly?” or “How do you get them to act so nuturally?”  I am here to say, in full honesty, “always” is “almost never.” I just take a billion pictures.  There are some tricks though and I am about to share with you how to get amazing images of your child in a laid back way. And get this… no bribes needed!

My son Liam just turned 5 in November and he is in the height of his forced smile phase.

Exhibit A

Yes, in his mind, that is his best smile.

So here is the trick, which, by the way, won’t work for group/family shots (leave getting those smiles to the professionals….ahem…like me).

Here are the rules:

1. Pick an afternoon that you have nothing to do and nowhere to be.
2. No siblings alowed.
3. Bring some fun props.
4. Dress them comfortably.
5. Don’t reveal to them that  you’re goal is get pictures of them!  Tell them you are going on and adventure and say, “We better bring them camera so we can remember our day”. 
6. Go somewhere open where they can be loud, silly, annoying and active without ever getting in trouble or looks from bystanders.
7. Finally, the most important rule:  Tell them they are in charge and they get to tell you what pictures to take of them.  But, here is a hint:  break that last rule and just snap away while they are playing.  They won’t notice and the pictures you get while you are interacting will most likely be the best.

So here is my afternoon with my newly turned 5 year old.  Just him and I, and a day I will always hold close to my heart.

BEWARE: PICTURE HEAVY