Updated October 13, 2026
My best tips for photographing kids: be patient, be prepared for anything, use natural light, make them laugh, get down to their level, never force the photograph, and be sneaky. I’m Katie Donnelly, a Paris family photographer, and these are my tried and tested tricks.
What You’ll Find in This Blog:
- 1. First and Foremost, Be Patient
- 2. Be Prepared for Anything
- 3. Have Your Camera Ready
- 4. Always Try to Use Natural Light
- 5. Make Them Laugh
- 6. Choose Your Aperture Carefully
- 7. Get Down to Their Level
- 8. Don’t Try to Force the Photograph
- 9. Be Sneaky!
- Questions About Photographing Kids
- Ready to Book Your Paris Photoshoot?
I LOVE working with kids. They bring such light and energy to photo shoots. Sometimes it can be a little hard to figure out just how to harness that energy for good, so I’m going to share some of my tried and tested tricks!
1/2000 sec at f / 1.6, ISO 100
1. First and Foremost, Be Patient
Kids don’t always listen immediately, and usually if they are doing funny things, they’ll keep on doing them. They’re unpredictable yet predictable.
2. Be Prepared for Anything
Kids have the tendency to do weird goofy stuff out of nowhere. Expect the unexpected (sometimes the unexpected makes for great photo opportunities).
1/2500 sec at f / 1.6, ISO 100
3. Have Your Camera Ready
Make sure your camera is set correctly so you’re ready for the action before it even happens.
4. Always Try to Use Natural Light
Even though it’s constantly changing, using window light inside and sunlight outside will make your photos feel more real. I find flash to be a temporary addition that really doesn’t belong most of the time. Keep it natural and instead, use the light you have to your advantage. Read my indoor lighting hack and finding the light inside on a cloudy day.
5. Make Them Laugh
Kids often feel intimidated by the camera, so it’s very important to make them feel comfortable around you. Be a goofball!
6. Choose Your Aperture Carefully
Avoid the too big aperture like f/1.8 or f/1.4 when your kids are moving all around. See more in what is aperture.
7. Get Down to Their Level
When you’re photographing little shrimps from above, they look smaller. Get down on their level to show how big they really are. See the difference in how to photograph kids: get down on their level.
8. Don’t Try to Force the Photograph
Kids do funny things all the time. Sometimes when telling them what to do, they will do exactly the opposite. Instead, follow their lead. If you’d really like them to do something specific like smile, give them a prompt to do it rather than ordering them. They’re more bound to smile when you say, “poopie” than when you say, “smile!”
9. Be Sneaky!
Kids don’t always have to know that you are taking pictures, let them play around while you photograph around them. A lot of times the small, everyday things that they do are the moments you want to remember.
Have you used these tips (or come up with your own tricks) to get great pictures of your kids? Share them with me over on Instagram in #TheAuthenticPortrait series, a series for learning and growing in photography. Don’t forget to tag your photos with #TheAuthenticPortrait!
This lesson is part of The Authentic Portrait: A Parent’s Guide to Documenting Childhood, my photography guide for parents who want to learn the basics and take better photos of their kids, without spending hours and hours taking classes. I am working on a new edition of the guide. Until it is ready, you can read every lesson in The Authentic Portrait series.
Next lessons: 3 tips for sharp photos of kids in motion, using catchlights, and how to pose families naturally.
Always the one behind the camera?
Hand it over for a morning. Our English-speaking team photographs families in Paris, so you are in the photos too. Sessions start at €150, and you see your photos the same day in our Saint-Germain studio.
Or first see how a Paris photoshoot with us works.
Questions About Photographing Kids
Be patient and ready, use natural light, make them laugh, get down to their level and follow their lead instead of ordering them around.
Katie prefers natural light: window light inside and sunlight outside. It makes photos feel more real.
When kids are moving all around, avoid very wide apertures like f/1.4 or f/1.8, so more of the photo stays in focus.
Be sneaky. Let them play while you photograph around them. The small, everyday things they do are often the moments you want to remember.
“Zoe instantly put us at ease and has such a gift for capturing real, unposed moments.”
Marina
5-star Google review
About the author
Katie Donnelly, Paris Photographer
Katie Donnelly is an American photographer who opened her Paris studio in 2013 and was voted Best Portrait Photographer in Paris in 2017. She and her English-speaking team photograph families, couples and solo travelers at sunrise, so visitors go home with relaxed, real portraits instead of rushed selfies. Meet Katie and the team.
Ready to Book Your Paris Photoshoot?
You take the everyday photos. Let us take the ones with you in them.
- When: Mornings, just after sunrise, when the city is quiet
- Who: Families, couples, engagements and proposals, and solo travelers, with an English-speaking team
- Your photos: Viewed the same day at our studio in Saint-Germain-des-Prés
- Session fee: From €150. Inquire for our full price list.
Tell us your dates and we will help you plan the rest.
Or first see how a Paris photoshoot with us works.
