Working with children:-

So as a photographer how do I work with children.

Carefully!

At all times I involve the parent or parents representative on shoot planning or the day itself.

I stick to a strict shoot context, whilst being flexable to ideas that come up often from the young performer themselves.

I build up a rapport with all concerned so we all know what we are doing and aiming for.

I never take "candids" without the full knowledge of those attending.

There is I know for many photographers the problem of shoot direction.

Let me explain.

During my training [as I guess I am now an old photographer] I was encouraged to "pose" my subjects.

Physical contact was not unusual - moving a head or an arm etc. This then became more frowned upon in the UK, and obviously even more so with children.

I find it is rare you need to pose people this way, but remember I am in the main working with performers, so direction is more natural to them.

There is a form of consent to gentle touching for the purpose of direction which is used by some photographers - or another one to ask for it not to happen!

With children I try to encourage the mother [it most often is the mother] to put on say face paint, or help with the direction. It all comes down to mutual trust - I have a very strict code I work to, it is self set and not one I break...if everyone is fully involved and knows the boundries there are no problems, despite the paranoa that can happen these days about people working with children - sad but true!!

 

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