The best tips that I have is for the child photographer so he/she will get a child smiling and connecting with the camera w/o the "Cheese Face"
1. Relax - I will assume the photogher is relaxed but the parents and the child needs to do that also. If the parent is telling the child what to do that's bad. You will get a cheese face. You can bargain with the parent/child (you do one pose that Mommy wants and two poses that you want) - the child relaxes b/c he/she is in control. And the parent will relax b/c they get the shot they want.
2. Make the child laugh. Seems like this is hard but its pretty easy - even if the child does not know you at all. All children LOVE potty talk and they will smile (they cannot help themselves) - this is the BEST place to use it. Have them tell you a joke. I use a woopie cushion for the preshool set.
Younger kids LOVE peek-a-boo - I will hide behind the camera and look at them from the side or the top. And for babies, I will use a whistle or christmas bells to get them to look up.
3. And if all else fails, its OK to have/make the parents leave the room. And if that does not work, pretend to cry - kids of ALL ages love that - even the parents laugh!
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