As you know, working with children can be more difficult than we think. Unfortunately, often children do not want to work together. This can be caused by many things. Children are often shy and very attached to their parents, so they don’t want to leave them alone. We must act quickly. Immediately after the arrival of a family with children does everything to make friends. Show the props, explain how the camera works and give them the album in which they will see other children in the photos. This will encourage them to stand in front of the camera.
Pictures of the siblings with the newborn must be taken at the beginning of the session. If you leave it until later they will start to get used to the place. They will be willing to look for something interesting, they will start to play with what they find and they will not want to leave it. Secondly, after about an hour in the studio, they will start to get tired and bored.
Start with the easiest positions and then move easily to the more challenging ones. Start with pictures when the siblings do not have to hold the newborn in their arms or cuddle lying next to you. Let them sit next to it when it’s in a bowl or cot.
When a newborn is wrapped up it is easier to fall asleep. This makes our work easier. We don’t have to put the newborn to sleep and soothe the siblings during this time. The baby sleeps and we are focused on the sister or brother. Half the battle is over.
If the siblings are young place the newborn in buckets, bowls or baskets. It is safe. Do not allow your sister or brother to hold the baby. Let them be close to the newborn sleeping safely in the bowl. Check what newborn props we use during the newborn photoshoot.
Show him/her photos taken of other children during newborn photoshoot . They will be happy to repeat what they see in the album or on prints. Explain to them how the other babies embrace their little brother or sister, and how they kiss their head or look at them during the session. They will listen with interest and when asked if you want to do it like the other children. They will always say yes.
Give your child a choice. Children love the opportunity to choose between something and something. Offer, for example, flowers as decorations during a photoshoot. Let your child choose. Ask what colour they would like to be used during the photoshoot. Another way is to let them choose which headband or hat the baby will wear. Remember not more than 2 colours/hats.
Let your mum or dad join the session. When the parents are close the child will feel more confident. They want to copy what the parents do, they follow them. When mummy kisses the baby on the forehead the baby is happy to repeat it because he wants to do what mummy does. When the father sits next to the baby, the sister or brother also wants to be next to the baby. Take a few pictures together and then ask the parent to quickly move out of the frame and click a few pictures. If the parent does this quickly and smoothly, success is guaranteed.
Check out how A&M Mazur Photography handles sibling shoots. We use these methods but we also have a few other secrets on how to do it which we will leave to ourselves.