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LIFE&FAMILY
136
April15
What’s the secret to taking pictures of young people?
It’s a careful balance between maintaining a happy, child-like
composure, while being totally in control of the technical and
artistic side of shooting. Photographersmust establish a rapport
with the family and gain their trust, which encourages them to
open up to the camera. That’s why we sometimes scramble
along the ground beside a crawling baby, or climb a tree to
follow the whim of an older child.
How do you establish trust with children?
This really depends on the age of the child. For babies, making
funny noises, clapping and singing generally makes them
happy and smiley. If they are old enough they may even join in.
For toddlers, making funny faces or pretending to be
defeated by their little antics makes them feel pleased with
themselves. Older children respond to different cues; girls
tend to blush and smile in response to compliments about
their dress and toys, while boys enjoy fun chasing games.
Are there any considerations to keep in mind when
photographing families with special needs children?
Children with special needs require more space and sensitivity.
It’s really important to provide a space for themwithout toomany
strangers walking in and out of the studio. Excessive noise and
too many different faces can be intimidating.
Also, allow more time for the shoot. I recall autistic children
who initially sat huddled on the couch, timidly hiding their
White Room Studio is at 219 River Valley Road, Level 2.
9747 7795, 6235 7037 | whiteroomstudio.com.sg
faces and unwilling to participate. By the end of the session
they were genuinely laughing to the camera, and even hugging
the photographer.
Location matters. Would you recommend an indoor
shoot where active children are contained, or
outdoors where they can blow off steam?
There’s no best answer for this question. The choice of home,
park or studio will depend on each individual family. Every
child has different characteristics and personalities, so we try
to establish what it is the parents would like portrayed.
Tell us about a recent memorable photography
experience.
After a family shoot we received an SMS from the mother
of a five-year-old boy. She said her son was imitating the
photographer, Dan Yeo; he was jumping out from behind a
curtain and saying that he wants to be just like “Uncle Dan”
when he grows up!
Sometimes, when children return for their viewing session,
they bring beautiful drawings depicting scenes from the shoot,
and shyly hand these to our photographers. And the parents
say their children couldn’t stop thinking about the fun they had
in the studio with us!
SAY CHEESE!
ELAINE LIM, director at White Room
Studio, shares her tried-and-tested tips
for photographing children.
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH KIDS