Be prepared
Prepare in advance. Allow yourself time to set up your portrait area. Photograph children at their happiest time of day. Have fresh batteries in your camera, use a tripod to hold your camera steady, and have props chosen ahead of time. Take special care when choosing outfits. Choose fun, coordinating colors for your subjects. Remember that necklines are important, so avoid tank tops and T-shirts. In the following photos, notice how the different colors and neckline styles change the overall feeling of the final portrait.
Choose an area
Choose a well-lit room, such as a garage with the door open, or one with a large, light-filled window. You want your background to remain uncluttered so that your photos focus on your subjects. Use a sheet, large tablecloth, or large piece of fabric for a backdrop by draping it high from a ceiling or cupboard.
Lighting is essential
Early mornings, early evenings or overcast days are the best for soft, natural lighting. If using natural lighting for your portraits, be sure to watch for harsh shadows.
Using a flash to fill in the shadows may give your subject a harsh, unnatural look.
To give a more natural look, reflect light back into the shadowed areas of your subject. In the next two photos, notice the difference reflected light makes.
It’s easy to use a reflector. Have someone hold a large white object, such as a piece of poster board, near the subject, opposite the light source. Keep the reflector about camera height, to make the lighting more natural.
You can always add extra light using household lamps. Swing-arm desk lamps are especially handy, allowing you to manipulate their placement easily.
Try facing one lamp toward the backdrop, lighting up the area behind your subject. This is called background lighting, and helps to separate the subject from the background. Notice the difference background lighting makes between these two photos.
Use another lamp for a main light -- shining above your subject. Experiment with placement of this light for a pleasing effect. Having soft light at an angle, closer to your subject will help to minimize shadow and texture on their face.
Use light to create fun effects. Having a light directly above their head will add brightness and highlights.
Turning the background light around behind your subject’s head will create a halo effect on their hair.
Avoid using your camera flash when taking portraits indoors. The flash will cause shadows behind your subject, as well as cause their skin to appear shiny and washed-out.
Timing, distance, and fun!
Timing is everything. Plan on taking a large number of photos to get a handful of good ones. Be spontaneous, rather than waiting for the perfect portrait.
Get in close and have your subject fill up the frame. If you are taking close up shots of children, avoid using the flash so that you don’t hurt their eyes.
Last, but not least, make the experience fun. While there is nothing wrong with traditional “say cheese” portraits, allowing your subjects to be natural and pose themselves can allow for happier subjects (especially children) and for more expressive photos. They won’t all be magazine perfect shots, but they will be fun and true.
Now, take your beautiful shots, and show them off! They will be perfect for holiday gifts, framed or in a card. Have fun!
