Say..."cheese?"

If you have been to my studio or worked with me before you know I am not a fan of "Say CHEESE!" to elicit smiles. Why? Well, for one reason, after 19 years of photographing children I'm just plain tired of hearing that shouted over my shoulder when I'm working. I know that parents just want great smiles from their kids! And believe me, I want that too; but part a photographer's job is connecting with their subjects, not just pushing a button. Whether I'm at my studio or at a school I work to establish a rapport with children and I have a huge array of words and silly phrases that I will drop to get those natural smiles from them. I've also found with some kids that they've heard "say cheese" so much that it no longer means a natural smile, just a pasted-on fake one. So say no to CHEESE and trust me (or whoever your photographer is!) to get those spontaneous, happy smiles from your children!

#hamptonroads #photographer #hamptonva