Photo session from the Devil!

frog116 · May 3, 2011

I just did a session today and it was by FAR the most horrific photo shoot I've ever done.

My subjects were 2yr old twin girls, a super hyper idiot dog, and grandparents.

The girls wouldn't sit, stand, walk, run, interact, ANYTHING. All they would do is scream, cry and throw tantrums. And when I say tantrum, I mean the kind where they throw themselves on the ground, kick, and drool. You sat them on a chair? 0.2 seconds later they were off of it.

I tried bubbles. I tried animated talking/dancing toy. I tried feathers. I tried taking a break and playing. I tried taking a picture while they were playing. I invented games. I bribed with candy. NOTHING worked.

Literally, anytime the camera was taken out- they went into meltdown mode.

If I did manage to get them relatively looking in the same direction while not bawling- the stupid dog would run away. Wasn't even a cute dog, it was one of those old people type of dogs that smell like barley and moth balls. WHY DO WE NEED THE DOG IN THE PICTURE?!?!?!?!?

Grandma. Oh grandma. She stood in front of the light, or injected herself into the frame. Continuously. After multiple reminders to please stay behind me so her granddaughters would look towards me not to the side.

Sorry for the vent- but have any of you had a trying session like this?

Bitter Jeweler · May 3, 2011

Ewww...How do you politely tell someone that the children are uncontrollable, and the shoot is off?

Yikes!

frog116 · May 3, 2011

I felt bad, because the grandparents were trying. The kids were just not having it. I just don't know what to do in that situation. People don't take kindly to hearing "I'm sorry, I'm just not able to get a good photo." I've found that many people think the photographer has this "magic" that can turn their heathen into an angel. I just don't have that magic I guess.

Josh66 · May 3, 2011

Blow a couple shotguns their way. :lmao: Kidding. Although it would actually work.

I don't do sessions, but my own kids are that age, and I know how hard it is to take pictures of them. They never sit still long enough for you to do anything, they never look where you want them to look, and they start screaming if you take too long.

To answer your question, no - I have not found a way to change any of that. Maybe when they are tired - like borderline falling asleep, lol. You have to get them occupied with something else, and just take pictures while they're doing that. You can arrange it so that the 'other activity' is still conductive to taking pictures. Just make sure it's something relaxing, like reading a book or something.

frog116 · May 3, 2011

Oh I tried. We played a game where I put a bucket in the shot and gave them balls to put in it. We played catch. We played peek a boo. Oy. All they wanted was to run and run and run. If this was an outdoor shoot that would have been ok. But, I'm indoors and it's not like my lights are easy to just grab and run with.

Josh66 · May 3, 2011

It's a pain in the ass - I know. Anybody that says taking pictures of kids is easy is lying their ass off.

The problem I'm having with my kids now is that they like having their picture taken, but they don't understand that they can't have their face right in the lens. :lol:

They just don't understand that 10 feet away is better than 10 inches away. :lmao:

SpeedTrap · May 3, 2011

Well, if you feel like sharing your misery with the parents, just be sure to have a stock of these to give the kids after.

ThinkGeek :: Caffeinated Nixie Tubes

Big Mike · May 3, 2011

I've had some trying kid shoots (some with twins) and yes, it can be a huge PITA.

One tip I've heard, is to completely ignore the kids and engage the adults who are there. So rather than everyone trying to get the kid's attention, just have a quite conversation with the grandparents. If all goes according to plan, the kids would loose interest in their tantrum and hopefully start playing nicely.

Of course, if you go in with that idea...it likely won't work :lol:

imagemaker46 · May 3, 2011

Someone once said never work with animals or children. When kids get to that point it's almost impossible to achieve anything productive, and then throw a dog in the mix. Did you end up with anything?

rub · May 3, 2011

Shooting kids is like trying to herd cats that are chasing chickens. Soooooo not for me.

That being said, you may have captured the real kids at that age. I had a pair like that once. Best shot of the day was the sister SCREAMING crying full on tantrum sitting on a chair. With her brother rolling his eyes beside her. Its now a 20x24" canvas on their wall.

Derrel · May 3, 2011

I had one session like that, with a TERRIBLE little two year-old girl whose mother called and talked to the receptionist about her "impossible to photograph daughter" when she booked the session...the mother had been to multiple studios, and each time the child just went nuclear. Out of the literally thousands of people I have photographed, this little girl was the WORST subject I have ever had to photograph. We tried to do a session at the child's normal "happy time", around 2 in the afternoon....zOMG, it was awful...all the child would do was scream and cry and wail. We re-scheduled another session about three weeks later...which turned out "almost' as bad. Normally, one can pull out some tricks that will engross/enthrall/fascinate a small child, such as a big pink feather, putting on 3,4,or 5 boas and peeking out thru them wrapped around your head, using a clicker and a squeeky toy AND a tickle feather all at once, clown hair and hat, the old arrow-thru-the-head prop, bubbles, maracas, frog croaking, and so on. After both sessions, the mother was just super-apologetic and embarrassed...and for,well, I guess I would have to say for good reason---her kid was just,well, the worst photographic subject one could possibly imagine!!!! Just a plain, old-fashioned Holy Terror of a child...

j28 · May 6, 2011

Sometimes it is just like that, no matter what you do.

Usually when they are that age and it isn't going anywhere I go ahead and reschedule. With newborns and babies I'll wait it out, but once they are toddler/preschool age they have much more stamina than I do

photogirl2002 · May 6, 2011

My advice...don't shoot kids in a studio or studio set up. Take them to a park. Let them play. Don't try to sit them down. At all or ever if they are that out of control. Skip the dog all together if possible. While they are playing, you might be able to grab a shot of them actually being happy. I'm a child photographer and I know not to put them in a studio setting. I mean, if I can. Not that you did anything wrong at all. These are just suggestions and what I find works.

if none of this works, maybe kids are not your thing and you should photograph adults! Hopefully they won't have a tantrum, right?!

LOL!