Red Light, Green Light
One way that I like to add a little bit more fun to my photo sessions is by playing some games with the kids. I also find that when I do this the kids like me a little bit more which is good, haha! There are lots of different games you can play and it depends on whatever the kids want to do but one of my favourites to play is called “Red Light, Green Light.” If you haven't heard of it before, basically what I do is I have everybody line up and I say “green light” and then everybody either runs as fast as they can or fast walks
towards me until I say “red light”, then everybody has to freeze on the spot. And we'll do that as many times as they want or until I know we got great shots from that. I wanted to write a little bit of a blog post about why I like doing this and how it positively affects my family photo sessions.
Saying “Cheese” Can Get Kinda Boring
I like to pull this game out when I notice the kids are getting tired of following the instructions. It's a really great way to get all other energy out. Sometimes during sessions, when the kids decide they need to get a little bit of energy out, they just start running around and doing their own thing, which is fun but it's difficult to take photos of because everybody is spread out all over the place. So if we play a game like this, they get to let all their energy out but it's kind of in a controlled environment - I guess you could say it's controlled chaos. Plus, I always get a really great photo of them during “red light” because they have such huge smiles on their faces. And they're always very authentic smiles because they're having fun!
Makes Them More Comfortable With Me
I find that once we start to play games like this the kids start to like and trust me a little bit more. Which is great for lots of reasons, it especially helps because they are more inclined to be open to my posing ideas. It starts to allow them to see me as somebody who wants to have fun with them instead of just following them around with the camera. I want to create the most fun and positive environment during my photo sessions as I can. I want to create these happy memories for the kids to look back on when they see the photos. I want them to remember this experience and hopefully they will be excited next time we get to do a session together. When a stranger is following you around with the camera sometimes it can feel a little bit strange and can make you feel nervous. That's why I love playing games like this with the kids because I see that it distracts them but also allows them to sort of let go of those nervous feelings and relax.
Natural Posing
I love doing a mix of different kinds of posing in my photoshoots. I like to do some smiling at the camera posed photos and the rest being more movement and lifestyle photos. I love how more fun and lifestyle photos look and I think it's really important to have a lot of those in your final digital gallery. A lot of people that book with me tell me that they enjoy those photos the most. However, at the beginning of my sessions I do like to start with more posed, smiling photos. And I do this for a few reasons. I like to just get those out of the way. But I also think it is kind of a good icebreaker because everybody knows how to smile at the camera we're used to it at this point. and I really do think you are going to want some of those posed photos because it really allows you to document you and your kids as you are right now because you can see everybody's face clearly. Once the pose photos are out of the way then we can get into the fun games and more movement like “red light, green light”.
Kids Love It!
I like “red light, green light” because the kids always have a lot of fun with it. And it's great because they
are usually already familiar with the game, whether they play it at school or with their friends. I always get such genuine smiles and genuine emotion from these photos. Plus, I find that a lot of them really like to show off how fast they are.
So Many Varieties of the Game
What’s also great is that there are many different ways to play the game:
It could just be the kids and we could get some great photos of all the siblings
It could be the whole family, Mom and Dad can join in
It could be the whole family but the kids are playing follow the leader so they pull Mom and Dad forward
You could be holding hands, you could link arms, you could be running individually
It could be the kids playing the game and Mom and Dad can be walking behind them
I'm sure there are more ways but that's really all I can think of right now
Engages the shy ones
Sometimes, especially if the child is a little bit older, they might be feeling a little bit shy in the photo. And games like this or a really great way to help them feel more engaged and hopefully alleviate some of that nervousness. It's great because it's a very structured game, with clear rules and expectations. This will likely make them feel more comfortable participating, Because it's more predictable and hopefully gets rid
of the anxiety around the unknown. It's also a great distraction from the camera. I totally understand how some weird Black Box pointed at you and held by a stranger can be a little bit unnerving. so having something like this that you can focus on and have fun with can definitely be a great distraction.
Book Your Family Session!
Enough talk, why don’t you see for yourself how fun it can be! As your go-to family photographer, I've found that Red Light, Green Light adds an extra spark to our sessions. It's more than just a game; it's a fun and engaging way to capture the true essence of your family dynamic. And I’ve got even more tricks up my sleeve. So, if you're looking for photos that reflect your family's spirit and energy, I'm here to help. Let's create memories together that you'll cherish for a lifetime. Book a session with me today, and let's make some unforgettable moments!
Lot's of Love,
Lily
