Help needed for natural kiddy smiles

[Grumby]

HEEEELP!!

I got a lucky shot of my young niece recently, with what I would call a 'natural' smile. So why is this a problem? Well, I've now been (erroneously) assumed to have a natural talent and tasked with getting a portrait of her and her brother together. Trouble is, their 'natural' smile as soon as they are in front of a camera (now, how can I put this delicately without using the word 'grimace') looks more like Wallace from Wallace and Gromit (see here for those of you not familiar with Wallace and Gromit - Wallace is the one on the left). I don't mean to be rude, and I know they can't help it, but it just ain't photogenic...

Any tips or advice for what will probably have to be a semi formal session (i.e. I'll have to tie them down to a single spot for more than 30 seconds), allowing me to get them with a more natural look? I had a go over the weekend, getting them to pull as many silly faces as they could while I snapped (and deleted) each one, hoping to sneak in a more natural look while they least expected it, but it didn't work, and after 2-3 minutes, they were bored and wanted to go off and play... They are only 6 and 4 after all

Cheers,
Grumby

[windrider86]

Do you have a remote or cord for your camera? If so, you could try leaving from behind your camera and get closer to the kids and acting really silly to get them to laugh

[Grumby]

Thanks Windrider. Yes - I have a remote shutter release - I never thought of that. I'll give it a go - next opportunity is Friday evening (their Dad's birthday).

Cheers,
Grumby

[naeno]

How old are the kids? Bribing works a great deal of the time. However, so do bubbles! Everyone smiles with bubbles are around.

[Reflections by Scott]

Don't smile...... Dooonnnntttt smile....... dont you smile!..... don't smmiiiillllleeeeee.....
(they smile, you snap)
I said don't smile..... stop that!.... Don't smiiillleee.....

In the same tone of voice used with "peek a boo" on a baby... Works everytime!

[Grumby]

Thanks for the suggestions
Bubbles could be an option, as my next opportunity to get this 'portrait' will be a birthday party, and they would give them something other than the camera to focus on. The "don't smile" trick may well produce a more natural laughing face rather than a grimacing smile.

I'll pack some bubble mixture and my 'ickle wickle' tone of voice as part of my essential kit for the evening (bubble mixture... camera... hmm - NOT in the same bag, eh?)

Cheers,
Grumby

[private]

What is the age of the kiddo? Potty talk ALWAYS works, as does a woopie cushion. depending on the age, you can ask them to tell you a joke - they ALWAYS laugh at the punchline - so be ready! LOL

[fbroschart]

my girlfriend, who is a portrait photographer, barks like a dog and meows like a cat. This always gets the kids laughing and she doesn't have to get out from behind the camera. Also works well when shooting dogs. My dog won't look at the camera, but if I act like a cat she always turns her head towards me.

[Grumby]

LOL - thanks all for the suggestions. I got a couple of good shots, but with plenty of trials and tribulations along the way...

Getting my 4 year old nephew involved with setting up the camera was a BIG mistake. Once he saw how I could test fire the off camera flash, that had him captivated - for the next 5 minutes it was FLASH BEEP BEEP - (pause - gradually getting longer each time) - BEEP, and then FLASH BEEP BEEP again - until the batteries finally gave out Then when he figured out I was taking pictures without touching the camera, HE wanted control of the remote (yeah - I can hear all you ladies out there muttering "typical man"!!) Once the photo shoot 'proper' started, he wanted to keep jumping up to let off the flash, or take photos of himself using the remote (I got quite a number of pictures of a remote being pointed at the camera, completely obscuring his face). And of course, he had to come and see every single photo as it was taken, which meant resettling him for the next shot - aaarrrggghhhh! Finally, while I was taking some pictures of big sis, he decided that he could manually sync the off camera flash to the exact same 60th of a second that the shutter was open... of course he was wrong, and inevitably let the flash off just before a good photo opportunity arose, so it was recharging just when I needed it...

Oh dear - what's that saying about never working with children and animals?

Never mind - Mum got the pictures she wanted and is very pleased with them; I got a few more grey hairs - but I've given up counting them; and the kids got..? Well, they got away with murder for half an hour, while Mum & Dad cowered in the other room with a bottle of wine, all in the name of art ;-)

Grumby