A person wearing a blue knit sweater smiles warmly while sitting in a dimly lit room.
A child wearing a pink patterned dress smiles while playing outdoors.
A series of candid shots showing a child in a gray sweater with blue collar expressing joyful emotions.

Tell them a joke


This one is the classic approach to a genuine reaction. If you don't know any good jokes, ask your kid for a joke. Crack a joke about yourself. Just start laughing like someone told you the funniest joke even if no one told one. Laughter is infectious and sparks more laughter. If your joke falls flat, that can also provide a hilarious genuine reaction, perhaps the opposite of joy.

A series of close-up portrait photos showing joyful expressions and genuine smiles against a dark background.
A sequence of seven close-up portraits showing a child with curly hair and a pink dress expressing joyful emotions.
A sequence of close-up photos showing bright blue eyes and joyful expressions in a warm outdoor setting.
A sequence of candid expressions showing a child's changing emotions from thoughtful to joyful in a natural outdoor setting.

Whisper something sweet


This one is my teacher trick. We often forget the power of shifting our volume. Sometimes when we have high hopes for a specific outcome...*cough* a genuine portrait* cough*...kids can sense the stress in our voices, tone, and volume. Making sure we keep our tone playful and varying our volume level can work wonders. A whisper voice can shift a kiddos mood and help them show up as themselves in front of the lens.

A plush panda toy being held and displayed against a blurred indoor background with red decorations.
A child in a blue sweater and brown pants plays outdoors near a fallen log and tall grass in a natural setting.
A series of five close-up photos showing a child with vibrant red curly hair and a warm smile wearing a fuzzy winter coat.

Set them up with a favorite stuffed animal or toy


This one is really powerful if you have a quieter, more introverted kiddo. If they have their comfort item, they will feel a bit more safe to interact with you and your camera.

A smiling person in a white knit sweater poses outdoors against warm autumn foliage in the background.
A child in a white shirt shows different playful facial expressions in a series of close-up portrait shots.
A child wearing a mustard yellow sweater smiles brightly while looking at the camera.

Put on their favorite songs


You know your kid best and if they can't sit still during their favorite song, then this may not work for a genuine portrait. But, if their favorite song usually elicits a genuine reaction and they still sit still, go for it!

A series of five connected photos showing a person and black cat lounging together on a gray bed.
A small child peeks playfully from behind a window while holding a toy.

Play pretend!


Use your imagination together! My favorite trick when I was photographing a cooperative preschool last year was pretending the chair the kids were to sit on was a rocket ship. This worked wonders for those reluctant kiddos.

Person sitting at a table in warm lighting while enjoying a beverage and looking down at their phone.
A young child in a navy blue sweater looks up with bright blue eyes in a series of candid portrait shots.
A series of four progressive photos showing someone wearing a sparkly red sequined top against a blurred bookshelf background.
Baby in mustard yellow cardigan crawls on patterned carpet in living room setting.

Photograph them in their own environment.


The best way to get kids comfortable is to put them on their own turf. Maybe they are in front of their mirror or on their own bed or at their desk. As a kid my family would do extended family portraits at a studio and this rarely got a genuine personality filled portrait of any of us. This is also because back then the photographers didn't get to know us. It was just about posing and lighting. Now I always ask for a questionnaire of my clients and recommend that sessions begin at home where everyone is comfortable. If I'm on location with a family, I always start with a conversation with each kiddo to build rapport and respect before expecting anything from them.

A smiling child with brown hair shows a missing tooth while looking at the camera.
Baby wearing orange sweatshirt smiling and making playful expressions in a series of connected photos.
A person lies on a gray bed with a black cat while working on a laptop in a cozy bedroom setting.

Use natural light.


Place your child near a window or open door. Garage light is amazing for portraits. Make sure the light gets caught in their eyes. Without those catchlights, people’s personalities seem dull.

A series of five photos showing someone in a blue checkered shirt expressing different playful facial expressions.
A series of five close-up portraits showing joyful expressions and genuine smiles against a dark background.
Person wearing a burgundy sweater with small white designs smiles warmly against a blurred natural background.

Be sarcastic and refer to pop culture.


This one is for your older kids. While 6-7 might not work anymore, you may get away with a little sarcastic humor or references to their drip or who has rizz lately. ;-)

A person with long dark hair smiles warmly while sitting outdoors during golden hour lighting.

Keep portraits valuable by putting your phone or camera away after a few minutes.


There is a fine line between wanting to document it all and actually documenting it all. Kids need time and space without a camera in their face. Put your phone down after a few minutes and just be present. The more often you do this, the more willing kids will be to show up as themselves in your portrait sessions.

Portrait through eucalyptus leaves showing bright blue eyes and blonde hair in natural lighting.

Finally, time the portrait session appropriately.


Never attempt a portrait session when a kiddo is overtired or hungry. Also, if you have hopes to do them regularly...be sure to space them out enough. You may create a portrait tradition around specific holidays or points in the school year.

A young person in a dark green knit sweater smiles warmly against an outdoor background with evergreen trees.
A series of close-up portraits showing a child in a blue lace top with blonde hair against a dark background.
A small child in a navy sweater covers their nose with their hand in a sequence of playful expressions.
A sequence of five autumn photos showing someone holding a brown maple leaf in front of their face with joyful expressions.

Feel overwhelmed? Not getting the reaction you want?


Sometimes you could be doing everything right to try for genuine portraits, but you are still their parent, and they won't cooperate with you. Sometimes a kiddo needs a third party, an unrelated person to respond to. That's why professional in-home photographers are helpful. That's where I come in. I am a lifestyle and documentary real-life family and newborn photographer in the Seattle area who loves getting genuine portraits of kiddos. Let's chat as I'd be happy to help you achieve your vision!