Do you know what happens when you tell a child to 'Smile for the Camera'? They give you the most fake smiles.. ever! 

(SMILE! No, not like that!)

Even though this can be cute, it's definitely not the results we're looking for when having professional portraits taken. So if saying 'smile' isn't what works, you may be asking what does? 

(Throwing leaves and petals are a big hit for getting happy expressions.)

The answer is having fun. When kids are having fun, they are giggling and smiling naturally. How do we make this happen? Tickling, playing games, and acting silly are a few favorites. Kids also are big fans of throwing things around the studio like leaves and rose petals, especially if we pretend it's being naughty, that typically results in a lot of giggling. 

Getting kids to have fun is easier than you may think, 'Can you smell this flower? Does it smell good, or does it smell stinky! (said in a funny way) Can you make a scary face? RAWR!'  And once you get them having fun, that's when the smiles come out, all by themselves. 

Some kids smile easily, while others not as much. If your child is not a smiley kid, that's absolutely ok, we can still capture those adorable expressions that represent their own unique personality. As they grow up you aren't going to look back at the portraits and think about them not smiling, instead you are going to enjoy all those cute little expressions.

So there's my quick tip on how to get kids to give you some real expressions instead of fake smiles.