As a fellow Mum of a gorgeous little kid whose smile lights up the world, I know how much you want that grin caught on your camera. But I’m here you tell you a big truth, you NEED to stop telling your kid to say cheese for the camera!
Sounds weird when you desperately want a grinning pic of your little one, right?
Hear me out!
I’m a natural Hertfordshire family photographer who takes amazing photos of your little ones. I’m a total child whisperer and can get smiles out of even the most stubborn children! Read on to find out how to get the best smiles out of your kids…
Real smiles trumps fake cheese smiles every time!
Sure, you can get your kiddo to do a big old cheese and end up with a photo Chandler Bing would be proud to put on his mantlepiece.
OR… you can take some photos of your kid letting their unique personality shine.
We can get a real smile out of your child using various techniques that I’ve built up over years of photographing happy families to make sure you end up with heart-bursting photos that really capture the personality of your spirited, gorgeous little ones.
I don’t believe in lots of posed photos with everyone smiling into the camera. It’s not a true reflection of who you are as a family and how you fit together.
Who you are is what you do; the adventures, the hugs, the laughter, the trips to climb trees or eat ice cream, the board games, the snuggles under blankets watching films, the pictures you paint, the days out. Those things are what tells a story about you and the people you love as a family… not a few people sitting smiling into a camera.
Believe me, I have heard every excuse going when it comes to why now is not the right time to have your family photos taken… photoshoots are awkward and nobody will cooperate and my kid is too shy or too grumpy. Does this sound a little bit like how you think it’ll probably be to work with me when you think of hiring a professional family photographer? However, I haven’t met a kid (or a reluctant parent!) that I haven’t won round on a family photoshoot yet!
Those natural smiles are 100% guaranteed!
Starting to get interested? I know I can get an amazing smile out of your child! Let’s start planning your Hertfordshire family photo shoot now…
Moments over cheesy smiles
Dollars to donuts, photos where your kids’ cheeky personality is showing will be the ones you treasure more a few years down the line. That’s why I make the whole experience fun. It’s a no-cheese zone when I’m taking your photos…
Where parents have said they just want one photo of their kid smiling at the camera (because it’s the one thing they can’t get), it is NEVER their favourite when they see the gallery… They love the ones where they are looking at each other laughing in a hug or throwing their toddler in the air while they scream with delight.
The photo that tugs at your heart strings tomorrow will never be a ‘cheese’ smile looking at the camera, but will almost certainly be the one where your pre-schooler son’s nose crinkles with laughter or your daughter’s head is thrown back laughing at the silly joke you told every day when she was 7.
But did you know, I even photograph kids having grumps and parents comforting skinned knees. It’s these little moments that seem like the inconsequential patchwork of your everyday life while you’re living them, but grow in importance after your children have outgrown these phases.
These are the memories that grow fuzzy round the edges; the photos that grow in importance as time ticks on.
I like to call my photo sessions a little slice of life because that’s what they capture. You can see more wonderful families, just like yours, that have trusted me with their precious memories in my Hertfordshire family photography gallery. And if you like what you see why not get in touch and we can chat about what you’d like capturing for your own family?
Cheese doesn’t get you great smiles anyway
But I hear you, you still want a smile into the camera?
If you do decide you want to keep going with a word for smiles on demand, did you know that there are actually better words to elicit a natural looking smile?
Try it in the mirror or in a selfie. These pictures are my then 4 year old son saying different words (he was stuck firmly in the camera face phase at that moment!). While I still very much believe that catching a child in their natural laugh is the best way to get the perfect smile photo, try some of these tricks instead!
Cheese is never the best word to say. Plus if you get your kid saying ‘wee’ you’ll probably get a natural laugh anyway 😉
See the difference in just a few words? This isn’t the only trick up my sleeve so you can trust me to get amazing photos of your family, especially your kids. If this sounds good to you, let’s get your next family photo shoot booked in!
Fancy getting some of your own amazing family photos?
If we haven’t met before, I’m Tori, a mum passionate about helping all families feel amazing in front of the camera and having their own awesome photos to be proud of. I believe you don’t have to be Pinterest perfect to have perfect family photos hanging on your walls. Family photoshoots should be all about laughter and fun and showing exactly who you are.
If you realise you don’t have any incredible, up to date family photos then why not let me help? I’d love to get back in the photo and create those heart-bursting images of your family that you dream of.
If you want to read more about what I do as a Hertfordshire family photographer then just click on that and it’ll show you some of my work and guide you through the process of how a shoot with me works.
