Quote:
Originally Posted by Photosus
Sometimes when I photograph children I come upon some children that seem to want to ruin the session just to provoke their parents. They simply refuse to look at the camera, and hide their faces or refuse to sit in the uplighted area. Or they whine or cry when asked to do something.
Do you have any suggestions about how to handle such children?
Sometimes it has helped for me to take some photoes of the children and just show them the lcd screen on my camera, to get their attention, but it does not always work.
|
I'm not Ed but I've had a lot of experience in photographing children and thus a lot of experience with difficult children. Before I begin, I will say that there are times when no matter what you know, what you do, how much skill you have, the ill behaved child (read also: Total Brat) will not cooperate and the choice has to be made to end the session.
First a children's photographer has to know and be ready for some common dynamics. We used to have a set of conditions called age appropriate behaviors, I believe a more permissive more politically correct and generally less mature society of parents (know known as primary care givers) causes us to no longer feel there are any inappropriate behaviors at all, and for no reason should be make anything age specific as me may damage the ego or unbalance a little angel's chi. Here are some of the standard ideas from days gone by (mind you human nautre is slow to change but opinions are fast). Newborns sleep alot, have very shallow vision, and respond to noises more than visual stimulation. Babies at about 3 months are capable of holding their heads up for long enough to photograph them posed that way. 6 months old they are able to sit on a table (not a chair). 9 months they can stand with some assistance like something sturdy to pull up on. 1 year is the dumfounded look year. Though they CAN stand or sit in a short chair they are intellectually challanged. Cutting theeth tends to cause the mouth to be open in a gape and a river of drool pour much of the time. Many of the 1 yr old pics are a child with his mouth open staring blankly at nothing. Thus we called it the dumbfounded year. Guess what comes next? the terrible twos. The two year old is a challenge for a couple of reasons. #1 He has begun exploring a world that he did not realize has (or is supposed to have) invisible boundaries. This is the "no-no" year as the average two-year old will hear the word "no" 10,000 times more than at any time in his life. This is the time when a child discovers there are scarey unknowns too. It's also the "run to momma" year. When photographing the two year old child it is paramount to keep the parent very near and let the child discover that the photographer is not the doctor. A room, stools, funny lights and someone in charge - the similarity is uncanny. IF you have a full-blown studio with a waiting room its even more alike. Two year olds are uncooperative because they are uncomfortable and because they are learning that they CAN make some choices. They disagree with things because they can. Hopefully this is a short phase of life. If a kid is going to be a brat, he's learned how between 9 mos and 3 years.
Ages 3,4, and 5 are great. Kids can communicate and find things funny. These are beyond a doubt the easiest kids to photograph next to the 3 month old. Its also the age when structured schooling kicks in. Social pecking orders are learned beyond the household. And this is when things begin to fall apart. Here's about where I bet you will begin having troubles.
The clowning years. These are the kids who we are entertained with by being portraied as shin kicking, toe stomping, "I DON'T WANNA". Anything that the child has decided is to be unpleasant will be. I chalk this sort of behavior to poor raising and a lack of disclipline. You can't rationalize with them, and you will not make them do what they don't want to. Don't bother bribing and don't think their cross attitude will go away with a distraction. They have long attention spans if they choose to. These are the kids who are most likely to exercise the power to end a session. Watch the zookeepr and you'll get an idea of how its going to play out. If the parent is week, he/she will rationalize and bribe. This plays right into the control rush of the child. Quickly the child realizes he's pulling the strings and he's driving the bus. Don't let momma beg and plead, it never works. Move to another approach. You have to turn the kid into an allie rather than adversary. Ignore the child and get mom to hush. Since he doesn't like you (and the feeling is mutual) then sideline the sitting (with the kid posed nearly as possible and everything sset to shoot) do something else. When you quit fighting to take the picture the fight is over. Now the little erchin is going to watch you, so give him a show. Keep your distance and do something self-destructive (bump your head, get electrocuted, spill water down the front of your shirt - Think 3-Stooges). Once you have been injured Jr. will be happy. He's won the battle and didn't have to lift a finger. He giggles or fights back the urge. You respond as appropriate to coax the expression. Pick on the parent. You'll win 1 out of 3 and once the kid discovers he can do something fun, he'll play. Most expecially if its at the expense of your dignity or discomfort.
One thing that has to be avoided at all costs. DO NOT ALLOW the parent to take Jr behind the woodshed for a little understanding about manners and behavior. This is always disasterous. If it comes to that, call the receptionist in and re-schedule the whole setting. A child who returns with an injured bum or a hurt bit of pride will not give you pretty pictures and he will equate the entire session as punishment.
I seldom had trouble with the out and out brat child. When you make your living looking into the very window of people's soul you learn to read fast. Body language and eyes will tell you instinctively what tools you are going to need. You have about 15 seconds to make your subject, no matter who they are, your allie.
Pre-sitting consultations can not be over stressed. Have mom come in with the child, discuss things WATCH THE KID and find out what we are expecting out of the session. Find out what sorts of existing portraits the family already has. Explain to mom that posing can be a challenge for some and you want to make sure you offer poses that won't stress the child out. You'll find out if Jr has bit the last three photographers, or closes his eyes. Its also a great time to get to know the kid and give him a little primer. Take him in the camera room, show him the lights let him trip the flash and tell him how much fun he's going to have when he comes back in a few days. Suddenly, something about coming back is giong to be his idea and he's going to get some sort of pay-off like getting to take a picture with your camera. Get the reward idea planted up front. If Little Joey is allowed a soda then as a parting agreement tell him what's going to happen, "Okay Joey, you come back in three days and we'll go in there and get your picture made then we'll have a soda and look at them on this computer right here and if mom behaves I'll let you take her picture when we are all done". Now he's got a reason to come back, something to work for not a bribe when he knows he's got mom over a barrell.
Only about 3% of all challenging kids ultimately cannot be photographed. Do not expend too much energy once you find you have one of those.
Once a kid is 13 or so you have a total different set of norms and counters. Most times these kids just need you to make them friends. You can begin using the same people skills you'd use with an adult. The worse is probably "Mom made us and we don't want to" Now you can rationalize. Get them involved and ask them a gazillion open ended questions, just like selling. Again, sometimes sideling the setting is great. Don't talk about photographs talk about things they like. Learn to speek teenageese. What do kids this age do? Wii, Music, and the stupidity of adults make good conversation. Once engaged in a little small talk taking portraits is much like shooting a candid, only they are sort of posed.
There are a few things, I hope some of them are helpful.
Steve