photo by Emily Nathan, shot for Apple.

1. OVERVIEW
Kids are a mainstay of lifestyle photography, for good reason.

We’ve
learned from buyers that there is insatiable demand for modern pictures
of kids doing just about anything you can think of. And we’ve learned
from photographers that kids can be ideal subjects for great lifestyle
imagery because you can shoot them without incurring a lot of overhead
on shoots. Kids are perfect just as they are – they have great skin,
perfect hair, and they give you endless un-self-conscious moments in
front of a camera.

However, there is still an art to be learned about photographing kids,
and complexities to address. What ages of kids should we shoot and what
should we have them do? Should the parents be on set or is that a
distraction? What is the model release situation? What scenarios are
most in demand and what are some common mistakes photographers make
that result in unsellable images?

photo by Andrea Wyner

2. DEFINITIONS

For our purposes, we are defining ‘kids’ as newborns through age 12. Once
kids hit 13 we are adding them to the ‘Youth Culture’ section in this blog. We will
include expectant mothers in this ‘Kids’ category.

In terms of end-uses of your images, consider these types of clients:

• 
  Magazines and other editorial publications – both print and online -
  are significant and frequent purchasers of children lifestyle images.
  Think of how many magazine articles you’ve seen on pregnant mothers,
  and how many magazines and websites are dedicated to parenting.

• Advertising agencies also send out constant research requests for
  kids doing stuff – think also of how many consumer products are geared
  towards babies, toddlers, kids and moms. Shampoos, toothbrushes,
  grocery items, clothes, medicines – all of this needs imagery.

• 
  Textbook and other book publishers – kids learning is a massive,
  massive industry. There is a major dearth in the market for modern and
  diverse pictures of kids learning, and these publishing clients eagerly
  sweep up any new work that enters the market.

• 
  Government + Non-Profit entities also often are creating websites and
  brochures for educational and family issues and are significant stock
  purchasers.

3. INTRODUCTIONS
Among all the experts we met, the ‘kids’ experts were the most effusive and specific in describing their needs and providing tips and feedback. We thank them for their time and passion!

Buyers

• Lisa Mullenholz – McGraw Hill (Image Editor)
• Doug Schneider – Benchmark Education Company (Director of Photography)
• Ana Suarez – Grey Worldwide (Senior Art Buyer)
• Lexi Walters – BabyZone.com (Senior Editor)
• Susan Wetherby – Discovery Communications (Lead Art Buyer)

Photographers

• Emily Nathan
• Kathy Quirk-Syvertsen
• Andrea Wyner

4. TOP BUYER TIPS

• More diversity. This is the universal problem across stock, but it is especially acute in babies and kids. Many of these buyers have actual percentages they need to adhere to in their imagery, and while it used to be acceptable to have 50-60% of kids be white, that is now down to no more than 40% tops. We spoke to a few American clients and found that a typical requirement might be 35% white, 30% Hispanic, 20% African American, 15% Asian/Middle Eastern/Indian. Keep this in mind for parents and teachers as well – there is a huge need for pictures with non-white teachers, and in the age of international adoption, for different ethnicity parents and babies/kids. Kids with special needs, including autism, and learning disabilities are also very much in demand.

photo by Andrea Wyner

• Modern pictures. Make sure your images are modern both in terms of wardrobe and in terms of props, technology, and setting. If you are shooting classrooms, make sure they are high tech. Even public schools have flat screen monitors now. Also, shocker: dads help out now- so get shots of dad at the store with the baby or cleaning the counter with a baby on his hip. And moms work, so get shots of moms working from home with kids.

Easy Living, June 2008

• No extreme emotions. Just shoot the kids as they are, don’t prod them to portray extremes of happiness or sadness. Try to capture more subtle emotions.

• Not too literal. If your concept is to capture a parent scolding a child, don’t have the parent with their finger out or doing other overly literal gestures.

• Not posed or cheesy. If you are shooting a kid using a computer, don’t have the child turn around and smile at the camera. If you want to show them doing their homework, have them looking down at their homework – not at you!

photo by Emily Nathan, shot for Apple

• Shoot series. Buyers would love to see series of images using the same models that show kids in different scenarios, and that tell stories. Think through the phases of a relationship with a parent – both the good and the bad times – and shoot the range (i.e., parent waking child up, doing morning routine, scolding the child, playing with them, picking up from school, putting them to bed etc.).

photo by Andrea Wyner

photo by Kathy Quirk-Syvertsen

• Show independence. So many buyers are supporting products that help kids become independent – make sure you get shots of kids doing stuff on their own, without the parent’s help and without the parent in the shot. Buyers also love kids out exploring their worlds – so show inquisitive, adventuresome tendencies. Don’t just show kids at home!

• No nudity! Most buyers have strict requirements not to use pictures of kids without clothes on. There are tons of pictures of naked babies and kids – and they are almost totally unsellable. Tweens and teens may dress more suggestively in real life but that isn’t the image that lifestyle buyers want to portray. Make sure your models aren’t overly developed for their age and make sure clothing is not to revealing or over-styled.

Real Simple, April 2008

• Be aware of age ranges. If you are shooting groups of kids, make sure they are all in an age range that would logically socialize as a group. In middle school and up, even two years difference can mean the kids won’t hang out with each other.

• Get a range of shots. Buyers love it when you get close ups and then pull back and get a wider shot – they like to do their own cropping. For babies, get close-ups of parts – teeth, toes, ears, eyes.

photo by Emily Nathan, shot for Apple

• Show kids having fun. This obviously does not apply to cases where you are shooting non-positive emotional scenarios, but we had multiple buyers tell us to make sure that kids are animated and look like they are having fun. We also heard repeatedly that often classroom and other group shots are not usable if even one child is making a weird face. Groups can be tough to manage – make sure everyone is acting naturally and paying attention.

• Cast healthy models. Buyers vary on how to cast – editorial buyers are open to using overweight kids, where most advertising buyers want overtly healthy models. Neither seems to care as much about skin quality since retouching can help that. But regardless of their specific characteristics, the kids overall need to look healthy, well-adjusted, and happy.

• No sleeping babies. Sleeping babies look dead in pictures! It’s more important to get the progression to bedtime than it is to get the shot of the baby actually sleeping.

• Be basic. This applies especially to ‘kids learning’ – don’t complicate the shoots or environments, just show a child very directly – such as playing outside,  learning to read or working on spelling.

Cookie, April 2008

• No accessories. It’s best to stick with basic kids clothing and no big accessories or jewelry unless they really make sense with the shot. No obvious makeup.

• Show kids hanging out. As you’ll see in the shot list below, in addition to kids learning, kids hanging out together in their own environments is a huge need.

• Show women in all stages of pregnancy. If you do a search on ‘pregnant woman,’ chances are you will find pictures from the third trimester. Buyers need images of all stages – from barely discernibly pregnant women all the way through the third trimester – so get everything in between.

photo by Kathy Quirk-Syvertsen

5. PHOTOGRAPHER TIPS
These photographers’ work includes some of our favorites – here are the tips from the top.

• A parent should be at the shoot. For so many reasons, unless you really know the family and have worked with the kids several times, a parent should attend the shoot. They can help focus the kids, help manage moods, and brush hair. Also, this way there are no surprises when the parents see the photos, and you can avoid post-facto arguments or the possibility of not being able to use the images. In some cases you might get better results if the parent is in another room, but a parent should be generally at the shoot.

• Don’t be the disciplinarian. That’s what the parent is for! You should establish a fun rapport with the kids where you are somewhat on their level and playing with them. If they start pushing back, just go in a different direction rather than try to force a particular shot.

photo by Emily Nathan

• Find charismatic kids. Whether you are casting models or real people, the factor that translates best to the camera is charisma. If possible, meet the kids in person or get a video from the agency if you are going with models. Charisma is as important as appearance. Always keep an eye out for charismatic or great looking kids and be energetic about approaching their parents.

• Engage the kids emotionally. You need to be energetic. Be prepared with songs, games, questions, or stories to get the kids to forget about the camera and to inspire various moods. If you are having fun, they will have fun, and they will give you emotive expressions.

• Take breaks. Kids get bored. Their attention spans usually last 40 minutes and then you need to switch things up. So plan on 40 minute segments as you organize your shoot.

• Use natural light. Because of the short attention span issue, it’s hard to get multiple shots if you need to set up new lighting for each one. Try to plan shoots and scout locations that will work with available light.

photo by Nancy Ney

• Shop at Target. If you need to find wardrobe and don’t know where to start – go to Target. Their color palettes are always modern, and their clothes are simple and inexpensive.

• Don’t dress kids up too much. Kids are perfect the way they are. Don’t over dress them with hats and formal outfits or odd clothes like blue jeans on babies.

• Shop at hardware stores. Props are really important for these shoots- kites, trains, all kinds of toys. Hardware stores often have generic (non-branded) toys and other props.

• Brainstorm activities. If you are going to shoot kids playing, you need to think ahead about what you want them to do. Think about the activities, buy the props, be prepared.

Easy Living, June 2008; Real Simple, March 2008

• Use your surroundings. There is a need for all kinds of images – if you are in the suburbs, shoot suburban schools and lifestyle. If you are in the country, shoot kids in the creek. If you are in the city, get pictures of kids walking to an urban school or in an urban playground.

• Don’t be too literal. As Kathy Quirk-Syvertsen points out, if you are working to a shot list and you capture exactly the shot list, often editors or clients will make you re-shoot because it came out ‘too literally.’ Always use your imagination and take the risk of going off the shot list. Pictures need to feel authentic.

• You need to love kids. Shooting kids can really test your patience. If you don’t love working with kids and playing with them, you should probably find another topic.

Health, June ’08


6. KEYWORDING TIPS + MODEL RELEASES

• You need to get model releases signed by the child’s legal guardian, and when doing this, explain very directly to the parent/guardian the various ways the image might be used. If they are not comfortable with this, move on and find another child.

• Go nuts with keywords - it was a loud complaint by most of these buyers that images of kids are never sufficiently keyworded.

• Specify age and age range of the model as a keyword (actual age, and then ‘baby,’ ‘toddler,’ ’3 months’ etc.)

• Gender and ethnicity

• ‘Teens’ as well as ‘Teenagers’

• Indicate the season (summer etc.)

• Always describe the emotional tone of the picture: sad, serious, crying, happy, surprised etc.

• Always describe the colors in the picture, especially of clothing

• Use descriptive words for what you are portraying in terms of the story: a child with allergies? Being scolded by parent? Find the key descriptors and tag them.

• If pregnancy photo, include how many months as well as trimester

• Be accurate: a ‘newborn’ baby is not a 2-month old

• If the picture includes a baby, include description of activity: sitting up, crying, nursing

• Use concepts: describe ‘child near water’ but also use ‘safety’

• Describe the setting: outdoor, indoor any attributes of the environment

photo by Emily Nathan, shot for Gourmet

7. SHOTLIST [download]
Here are some ideas to get you started. Please just consider these a jumping off point – we encourage you to find your own ideas and get creative. As always, consider all of the following scenarios across all ethnicities.

Kids Learning (this is huge!!!)

• Diverse kids in the classroom doing various things – have a shot from behind of kids raising their hands – make sure they are having fun/enthusiastic
• Rules in the classroom/Enforcing rules in school
• Looking up and thinking
• Doing art projects
• Science projects (worms, plants, beakers)
• Learning outside the classroom – in nature, exploring, looking at maps, looking at the sky, looking through microscope at bug outside
• At the chalkboard, writing or doing math
• Child or kids talking tteacher or in classroom with teacher (try using a non-white teacher!)
• Doing homework – alone, with each other, with parents
• Kids in the library, reading, or on the computer
• Walking or riding bike w/ backpack on (alone and in groups)
• Waiting for bus w/ backpack
• On the bus (looking happy and sad/alone)
• Modern technology in classrooms – flat screen monitors, white board
• In computer labs
• Surfing the web at home

Kids with Parents

• Kids being bad
• Kids being scolded by parent
• Doing stuff together – riding bikes, going on walks, skateboarding, skiing, shopping, watching TV
• Kids in car in back seat and parent driving
• Kids and parent(s) in cars – just coming back from soccer game, eating, fighting

Kids and Health

• With casts or other signs of injuries – don’t need pictures of cuts or the injuries themselves
• Teens in the hospital

Kids and Community Service

• Having a carwash for charity and other fundraisers
• Kids recycling
• Habitat for Humanity (but without logos)
• Doing/Learning CPR

Kids Playing

• Pictures of kids hanging out on their own or in an after-school program
• Doing sports: track, baseball, soccer, cheering for other kids (girls doing sports)
• Doing sports and wearing proper safety equipment (helmets,  wrist guards etc.)
• Boys and girls playing sports together
• On swingsets
• Playing indoors with toys, legos, trains
• Playing videgames
• Being bullies
• Organizations: in Girl or Boy Scouts, Boys’ Choir etc.
• Older kids walking down the street together
• At the beach
• Tween girls dancing and playing
• Halloween
• Birthday parties
• Children with disabilities playing with other kids
• In backyard settings

General Activity

• Chores/helping around the house (cutting grass, taking out trash, loading dishwasher, doing dishes)
• Walking the dog
• Summer jobs
• Using technology – iPods, laptops, cell phones/Blackberrys
• Kids eating
• Image that imply child abuse
• Vintage/retro shots of kids
• Close-ups

Babies

• Modern beautiful shots of non-white and non-black babies – other ethnicities
• Teething
• Reaching for lightswitch, various other exploration poses
• Being diapered
• Preparing for bed
• Child care – babies and nannies, other people whare not immediate family
• With grandparents or older siblings
• Tasteful nursing shots
• Breast pumping – very current topic
• Baby health issues – grabbing at ear, immunizations where you really see the doctor giving the shot while mom holds baby on lap
• Series of a baby developing over time: from first month through the first year
• Ethnically diverse twins
• Close ups of body parts: eyes, ears, toes, teeth
• Moms with friends: pushing strollers together on a walk
• Moms and dads together, walking with babies in slings
• Babies and moms having intimate moments – showing their connection, not tickling, naction – an ‘un-moment’ – she just woke him up and put him in her bed – beautiful moments

Toddlers

• Health photos of any sort – smiling doctor looking at mom, kids whare sick (cold/flu), in doctors office or hospital, drippy noses, pink eye, staph infections, diaper rash, birth marks, doctor scoping kid’s ear, aches and pains, kids holding shoulders, kids in casts, first aid – descriptive, specific pictures
• Potty training – no butts, no nudity
• Safety – reaching for lightswitch, cup on counter, toddler looking out window at water, playgrounds, bruised knees, mom backing up in driveway with bike behind the car
• Green living – babies modern cloth diapers (i.e., no safety pins)
• Progressive families – Dads helping and at play groups, moms working from home
• Modern pictures – baby in car seat in SUV, modern shopping pictures
• Every day chores: mom doing laundry with baby nearby, mundane stuff is badly needed
• Mom dropping kid off at daycare
• Kids with special needs – Autism, Down’s Syndrome
• 1st birthday parties, other parties (trend now is smaller parties – not tons of people in a room)
• Parents traveling with baby and/or toddlers – road trip or by plane
• Without moms – learning to be independent
• Learning teat and drink by themselves
• Toddlers in wintertime

Pregnancy

• Pregnancy lifestyle is very needed – not necessarily single shots of a pregnant woman
• Women in various stages of pregnancy – especially 1st and 2nd trimester
• Women just learning they are pregnant
• Baby showers
• Labor and childbirth – women in labor, not screaming, but early onset of labor
• Pregnancy action shots – pregnant women working out and on cell phone -
• Pregnant women traveling
• Fetal development images

photo by Andrea Wyner

7. PARTICIPATE
Are you a buyer or photographer with extensive experience relevant to this category? We’d love to hear from you! Please email us with any additions to the Shotlist, Tips, or any other sections of this article.

We look forward to it!

 

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