Do you ever feel like you’re fighting to get little ones to cooperate when you’re photographing family portraits with kids? Rather than swimming upstream, try going with the flow instead. Just like bowling with a kid, you can’t control the path of their ball but you can put up guard rails to prevent their ball from falling into the gutter.

The same applies when you’re photographing family portraits with kids. Set up boundaries and structure, then let them freely bounce around within those limits. That way they get to be themselves while you’re still able to get the shot.

[Read: 5 Tips to Posing Families Together for Natural-Looking Portrait Sessions]

I created a system for directing and posing family portraits with kids called Pick Up Points, which allows you to go into your shoots with a general structure without confining you to an exact shot list that might conflict with the kid’s interest or energy. You have the freedom to adapt these prompts to your specific shoot and have fun with it!

[Read: Caroline Tran’s Posing Pick Up Points for Family Portrait Photography—Free Webinar]

This skeleton of a structure gives you enough guidance to flow smoothly while allowing enough flexibility for each client to bring their own personalities and flair. The results are consistent portraits across all your sessions, filled with genuine emotions and authentic moments.

Got family portraits with kids coming up? Here are three tips to help you on your next shoot:

1. Give kids a platform.

Photographing kids is so much like photographing pets… There’s a limited attention span and a lot of movement!

Finding a platform for kids to sit and stand on buys you some time to get your shot before they jump off. This could be a chair, a rock or even a tree log. Be prepared to act fast!

[Read: 5 Tips for Photographing Children]

2. Go with the flow.

When we come in with preconceived notions of what we want, we end up fighting against the kids when their actions don’t fit into our mold.

Rather than going against the current and forcing kids to do something they don’t want to do, lean into their interests.

[Read: 5 Tips to Shooting Unposed Lifestyle Newborn Photography]

Now, I’m not telling you to come into your session unprepared with no idea of what you want to achieve. Instead, have a loose structure of where you want to go… Have an open mind, play with the kids and see where it goes.

3. Frame your shot, then trick the kids into walking into the frame!

I know, I know, this sounds counterintuitive to going with the flow. Hear me out, though:

We sometimes have a vision for family portraits with kids and would love to see it executed. I encourage you to frame that shot first, then find ways to get the kids to run into your shot! This is where prompts and games with the kids will come in handy.

Caroline Tran, named Rangefinder Creator of the Year at WPPI 2021, is a Los Angeles-based, internationally published photographer and WPPI educator who has been helping other photographers work smarter, not harder. She offers online Small Group Business Coaching and mentoring. Want to learn more about photographing children efficiently? Check out her posing system, Pick Up Points!

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