The Moazeni Family (Tips + Tricks to get kids to smile when tired)
I am a strong believer in taking family photos at least every 6 months! Last year around this time I took photos for this cute family. Same people, same place. Isn’t their son a cutie in that formal attire, vest and bow tie!? He looked just as cute last year and had a similar hat on. Check it out in my portfolio. They all look so good! I love these outfits and people. This location too! We took photos at the Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga. It’s such a gorgeous site. So much so that I took Stella and a friend back there to see the garden and beautiful mansions in the neighborhood.
What I love about these friends is that they are so kind, classy and completely trust me to take their photos. They know what they want in their photos and give me tips, but also are open to my suggestions. Sometimes when having kids, they aren’t ready when you are. Know what I’m talking about? It’s one thing if your partner is late when getting ready, but you can step in and comb that hair over or change a top or something, but when a baby or child just isn’t in the mood, there isn’t that much you can do. I see that happen in a lot of photoshoots. Totally normal. Stella does it all the time. So, I have a couple tricks up my sleeve.
When a baby needs to smile, make sure they are well fed, schedule the photoshoot when the baby is rested and stay more local. Play peekaboo behind the camera and baby will love it. When needed, play “baby shark” on youtube! That worked for this almost 3 year old. He just had a nap, but with the 4th of July being the night before he was tired. I get it! I was too! I ended up SINGING baby shark to him. That was silly, but mostly because for some reason I forgot the lyrics. Uh? Ya, I wasn’t thinking. Peekaboo didn’t work with him, but when he had portraits with mom or dad the other parent stood behind me to do something silly to make him laugh. Besides that, I would tell parents to tickle their child or bounce them in a fun way up and down. Sometimes kids comply and sometimes they don’t. Either way, we make the best out of it and remember these moments for what they are. Real.
