Style - Theme Thursday
I’ve worked at a Kiddie Kandids for 3 years now. While I love some of the posed looks, a lot of the time I’ll try to play with the kid(s) first and get a rapport with them. Then I’ll get some “traditional” shots
and some silly ones. 
Caitlyn & Mommy, 3 months
The drawbacks of doing this are:
- it takes too much time, especially when we’re busy.
- we can only send over 6 pictures! That’s 6 individual poses. Not 8, 16 or 24 pictures, 6!
- I can only spend a total of 20 minutes per sitting. By the time you get to know the kid and what they’re like, the 20 minutes is done.
I think posed shot are good until the kid is 1. 
Caitlyn's 1 year picture
After that they don’t want to sit still, and once they are mature enough to sit still, the parents have drilled the “say cheese!” phrase into their mind. You’ll either get the horrible fake cheese smile,
or the silly/pouty
Me not wanting my picture taken
“I’m not gonna smile for you” faces. Then of course the parents get frustrated with the kid, the kid senses it and starts crying and it just isn’t fun anymore.
I still love my job though! I love trying to get that wonderful shot of that real smile.
Michael LOVES his trains!
And make real memories (cue sappy music now).
On the other hand, I also am the self-proclaimed “Sneaky photographer”.
I swear I didn't pose him! He honestly turned and smiled. That's why it's not in focus!
When I’m not at work, I don’t force people to look at the camera and “say cheese”. I try to get real smiles,
My brother, Timmy & Caitlyn (his niece and goddaughter)
natural expressions and feelings that capture the moment.
I think these are the ones I will eventually put on my wall. Along with the traditional sitting baby pose that I won’t let die!
I’m sure when I have kids (of course I’m thinking this NOW, who knows what I’ll think then) I will try to get some posed baby shots of them. I'll take way too many at home, get some good ones, go to Kiddie Kandids and get the traditional pictures and be happy.
I'm sure you know this, but you can click on any picture to make it bigger
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Labels: Theme Thursday
posted by Kim at
7:14 AM
13 Comments:
I like the posed shots, too... until they are too old to run away and not actually pose.
Great shots! :)
I work at a place just like Kiddie Kandids. It's called Flash. Are you in NJ? Anyway, I'm with you. I tend to lean more towards the natural smiles from kids in their natural environment. That's why it's hard to do what we do. There's too much pressure sometimes.
Great shots. I love the sitting and posing baby shots too. She's a doll.
Cute shots!
I have posed ones up on my wall, but it was from a local photographer and not a chain. I got a $500 gift certificate from my work as a baby gift when I had Kailan. That covered the 11x14 framed picture...and not any of the rest of the prints! He was expensive, but he was able to take the time to get some really cute shots. That's the tradeoff, I guess. It must be hard for you to get natural smiles when you have to be so rushed.
Now, I'm more partial to the shots I take, but the family likes the posed ones that we get when Lifetouch comes into our daycare twice a year. That's okay, too. :)
Four of the 5 bottom pictures were taken by my grandfather (Father's father). He had a local photography studio for over 40 years. My mother's parents wedding was taken by him!
The last one, of Caitlyn in barefeet, I took at Kiddie Kandids.
I like a combination of posed and not posed. :-)
what a fun post! i love the series at the end with all the sitting babes!
I think you've got the right idea, lots of candids at home and then portraits at the studio. Sounds like a good plan. :) Although all your portrait pics do still have smiling and laughing kids in them which is great!
I am considering getting a job working in a portrait studio, so I really enjoyed you sharing your thoughts on it! It sounds to me like you've got a great philisophy - and some great pictures!
You have some great shots! What a fun thing to be able to do - although what a bummer that you have such a short time for each sitting!
First of all, props to you in doing anything that involves getting kids to do what you want all day long...can we all spell p-a-t-i-e-n-c-e??
I have always liked the Kiddie Kandids "style" and the "Picture People" too - their studio portraits seem the least posed, and they both do a good job at capturing the kid's true essence.
And finally - You have some great shots! :-)
I loved reading your thoughts about posed or unposed, etc....I have never given photographic style much thought until this theme. Such an interesting job that you have. The photos are all so great... Thank you for sharing your thoughts...
I got Kiddie Kandids for Harrison at 3 months and JCPenney at one year. That was it. I've done it ever since. But I would go back to KK any day over JCP. You have a lot of training with kids and cameras!
Love your post, what a great way to illustrate style! What a fun job you have, what the rest of us DREAM of doing! :)
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