Picture Perfect Kids

Parents snap thousands of shots of their little ones, but capturing their child’s beauty and spirit in one incredible photo can be a challenge. Not for Ron Holtz, a professionally trained photographer and father of three who has a wide breath of experience shooting children, families, celebrities, CEOs and brides. In honor of Mother’s Day, Holtz gives us his best advice on getting fabulous photos of the kids whether they’re camera phobic, little hams or somewhere in between.

BEST PICTURE
Great pictures are made, not just taken. Shoot at your child’s eye level. Incorporate natural light by shooting near a window or in open shade. Take advantage of your digital camera’s fast shooting speeds and always avoid harsh sunlight. I like to take pictures of my own kids an hour or so before sundown when the light softens up and everyone looks better.

BEST ACTION SHOT
Try and predict where the action is going to be and pre-focus. Because most consumer digital cameras have a slight lag time after you click the shutter, it is always going to be hard to capture movement. Shoot lots and lots of pictures, review and delete afterwards. Always shoot with your shutter speed as fast as possible. Avoid bright sun as digital sensors do not handle contrast well.

BEST DUO (CUTE KID AND ADORABLE PET)
Shoot close ups, take a ton of pictures, and make sure the animal is calm. I tell clients to thoroughly walk/run their dog before the photo shoot. A tired dog is a good thing.

CAPTURING THE SHY GUY OR GIRL
Do not pull the camera out and announce you are going to take his or her picture. Do not ask them to pose. The less fanfare the better. The child might react the first few times by looking away but eventually he or she will ignore the camera so you can capture that great image. Pull out the camera more than once a month. Bribing a child is totally acceptable.

BEST NATURAL SHOT
The best photographs are when people (kids and adults) finally relax and stop posing. While shooting, talk to the child and make jokes as a way to distract him from the fact that he is having his picture taken. My five year old son loves to make insane faces at the camera and try to ruin every picture. I just continue to shoot and eventually I usually outlast him.

LAST INSIGHTS
Post-production is super important. Learn how to use Photoshop to make your amazing pictures even better. It is the pro photographer’s secret weapon to staying in business.

Ron Holtz photo sessions range from $500 to $750 depending on the location. For more information, visit Ron Holtz Photography (417 5th Avenue, 212-738-9398).

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Ron Holtz

Kelcey Kintner is the creator, writer and editor of the mama bird diaries, a smart, funny and always unpredictable take on motherhood.