Making the Rules Together

As school has come back into session, I’ve noticed that the teachers are asking the kids to take part in setting the ground rules. I love this idea. I think we can all remember as kids what it felt like to be “bossed around,” and to not be in control of our lives. I can’t say those times were fun for me. It even made me want to misbehave because I wanted to have a say in how I would live my life.

I’ve taken that notion forward with me into adulthood. I find that people of all ages, everywhere, want to feel like they’re in control. I’ve learned to make my goals known, and let people figure out how they might be able to help me reach them. This is one of the ways I’ve been able to have so much fun with kids in photography. I let them know that I have plans to take their picture, and I ask them to help me come up with a way for us both to have fun in the process.

I remember during one session, a little boy I was working with decided he wanted to go to the basement of his house. I could tell he was trying to be difficult because he didn’t really want to have his picture taken. His mom and I had planned on outdoor pictures, but there was time to be flexible with him, so I decided to go with it and give him some control. I asked him what was in the basement, and discovered that it was full of toys. So, I grabbed a light, followed him down the stairs, and lo and behold we came out of that basement with some of my favorite pictures from that year! Later, we had a chance to head out to their back yard for more pictures, and everyone was happy.

Listening to children and giving them a little bit of control can be a great way to get them to relax and share their spirit with you. Do this when your camera is out, and the difference in your pictures will really shine through.