Finding the right child photographer can be a real uphill struggle. On the surface, most child portrait photographers seem to do about the same thing. They have your child pose in front of a conventional backdrop, have him or her say cheese, and snap a picture. In reality, however, there is much more going on. There is an amazing difference between good child photographers and bad ones.
You can always tell a bad child photographer by one distinct feature of all of their work: soft focus. Child photographers who have no talent love the soft focus. Basically, soft focus is a way for photographers to make something or someone look good by removing most of the details of the image. You still get that smile, but it is blurred to give the whole picture that stoned and beatific look that is so popular among portrait takers. Basically, unless it is a very light touch, soft focus is awful. A good child photographer will use this technique as little as possible unless instructed by the parents to overdo it.
One of the most important qualifications for anyone who is going to take pictures of your child or family is that they know how to work with people. Being a child photographer is not just about proficiency in film technique. It is about much more. A lot of the trick with child photography is just getting the child to smile. Getting the right smile, and knowing when the smile is right, is what a good portrait photographer needs. Almost any child photographer can set up the lights correctly, get the child say cheese, and snap a picture. It takes a good one to snap the picture at just the right moment, and to get the child to loosen up. If the child feels loose, relaxed, and comfortable with the photographer, he or she will give you a much better smiled.
If you want to become a child photographer, there is very little that you need besides equipment. Learning basic film techniques is pretty easy – you could probably do it in about six months. The real problem is that you have to hustle to be a child photographer. There are so many people, after all, that can do it. Usually they make their living by staking out a particular community. Until you have the contact base built up, it will be a difficult way to make a living.
