1 Week - 1 Month
It is best if babies are kept warm, cozy, and fed for the photoshoot! Then we just hope they don’t #1 or #2 while photographing (but if they do, it's only natural and we can take a break!). You can basically mold a baby this little into any position. Feeding them before a session can be a great idea, just be ready for poop! When photographing in someone's home, I like to bring shoe covers, a space heater, and a cushion for my own tush.
1 Month - 3 Months
Babies at this age are way more receptive to their surroundings, so I stay low at their level and use bell toys for attention. These babies are following with their eyes now, reactive to sounds, and tend to have lots of drool. Be prepared! Holding their head up on their own is always a great milestone and makes for a great photograph too!
3 Months - 6 Months These little but fastly growing babies can now reach for toys, and want to put everything in their mouth. Shaking toys and making noise will always get their attention. Parents can help by rolling them from their belly to their back and interacting, as this is always connecting! Peek a boo is a classic way to keep a 3-month-olds attention and I surely use that as a strategy.
1 Year
12 month old babies have lots of expressions, use more toys, make silly sounds, and are often so happy and giggly. They are also incredibly wiggly! I use a toy to get the child’s attention and bring it back to near the camera so they know where to look!
2 Years At this age, many kids have their first experience with photos in preschool, if they haven't already had newborn photographs. They may be overwhelmed with photo day, so I speak softly and use happy tones, and any special toys are welcome! Some kids are open to connecting, and some aren’t. But that's okay. You won’t win every single child over, but I do my best to get their best self showing!
3 Years I can ask these kiddos simple open ended questions, but some are still really shy. But, if I show that I am happy, they feed off of that! These kids can’t read words yet, but they sure can read facial expressions and body language. It is important to always start positive!
4 - 6 Years For kids this age, I use open-ended questions to start a light happy conversation, such as: “who’s your favorite superhero?" This helps to start dialog and connection. I try not to ask a question where the child can just say “ Yes or No”.
7 - 10 Years Kids who are approaching the double digits are often still dressed by mom and pops. This is a cool age to goof around with them. Although ,if you say a goofy comment you will get roasted (and I have been!).
11 - 13 Years Now these kids are slowly becoming young adults, so there may be some occasional additude. I laugh it off! Silly pre-teens, I have been there myself and remember the feeling. This age is usually the start of puberty, so acne and oily hair can be something to look out for. Attention parents: I am always happy to edit out things like shine, acne marks, and braces for a small fee!
14 - 17 Years At this point, I try to treat everyone as an adult. I obviously don’t ask them about their 401k provider, but we can chat about sports, movies, social media, etc. I start with an open-ended question and let the conversation flow from there.
18 Years SENIOR PORTRAITS WOOHOO! So by now, these kids have had 4 years of school photos, sports photos, band photos, and a million others on their cell phones. Some seniors know exactly how they want their bangs, outfit, pose, etc. Others may need help posing, which I can surely do! I pick poses where the senior will look confident and relaxed.
19 - 22 Years These people are adults now! They may be in college, trade school, or entered the workforce. By now, they have some life experience so I ask them those open-ended questions about themselves to break the ice, whether that be sports, food, gaming, movies, you name it! If I am photographing a bunch of football players at a college, I would not ask them about the last ballet they attended. That is, unless they really are both a football player and a ballet dancer... which is beyond impressive!
23 - 35 Years Adults in this age group may be dating, have jobs, kids, or are on another life path. Most of my clients in this bracket hire me for weddings, family portraits, and professional headshots. Maybe someone is switching careers because they find out they don’t enjoy their job or aren't getting that big promotion, they will hire me for a headshot that showcases who they are for the next journey. Some people have a“ best side”, so it is never a bad idea to ask what they prefer! I want to work with people and their best angle.
35 - 55 Years My clients in this group tend to include professional headshots and a ton of family portraits! Staying positive and connecting with my clients is the key! Open-ended questions are still a great idea, no matter what age you are, as it is providing new information for me to chat with you about.
55+ Years I understand that aging can be sensitive for many people, and maybe getting in front of the camera makes you nervous. I strive to make every single client happy and looking their absolute best. It's nice to connect with people about their family, careers, or adventures. Everyone loves chatting about their grandkid's first steps or their child’s new promotion!
Final Thoughts: I strive to be authentic. Whether the person I am photographing is a toddler, an adult, or a senior, they will all be able to tell when I am being fake. But luckily with me that does not happen, because I am 100% involved with my clients’ stories and what they are sharing with me! I love connecting with people. Plain and simple. The camera just happens to capture the moment when you and I are sitting on opposite ends. Tell me about your life: the struggles, the epiphanies, or what you are grateful for today. Your smile, grimace, smirk, or cackle tells a story deeper than your surface expression. If I can get you to laugh and ease any tension of being in front of the camera, then I have done my job right! Thank you for listening. Please consider booking a photo session with me so I can capture the beauty that it is to be alive and with loved ones. Cheers!