photographing teens

First of all, you have to accept, you aren't cool to them and you never will be. So instead of trying. EMBRACE THE LAME!

The good news is, the more lame you are the harder they laugh!

I like to be open with the teens I photograph. Letting them know I'm fully aware that being at the shoot is the last thing they likely want to be doing, and that's totally ok. I like to tell them I'll make it as "painless as possible but no guarantees." (see.. I'm good at being lame)

I always start my sessions off with a simple stumble walk as a family or make mom and dad do silly couple shots and let the kids watch them go first.

Once we get a little more comfortable.. or bored, it's time for the teens solo shots. For this portion of the session I like to take them away from the rest of the family.

This prevents parents from telling them how to smile, (forced smiles are the worst smiles) and it also helps them relax and feels like less pressure being the centre of attention.

I like to start off saying something like, "So... how much they paying you to cooperate today? " or " look over in the distance and image your crush is blowing you a kiss." I also like to holler at them, calling them "GQ models" or "ICONS" in a hype girl vibe. They get so giggly when I do this.

Lastly, my personal favourite that works almost every time is ... " ok you are slaying at this... don't even act like you don't looove your photo being taken". I don't know what it is about that comment but I promise this one gets a genuine laugh every time.

You will also get an award for ultimate lame photographer, but a win is a win, am I right?

When it comes to most sessions, I go with prompts over poses, especially with teens. Keeping the vibe as natural as possible is key.

If you are finding it hard to come up with prompts, pose your clients and then make mom and dad love all over the teen(s). Tell them to give them cuddles or tickle them. I'm sure tickles aren't something they have had in awhile given their age, so just the thought alone makes them laugh.

If you are photographing a teen boy I suggest having him play fight gently with dad. Probably something they do at home anyways and it can make for some genuine shots of laughter.

Teen girls tend to cooperate a little easier, but a simple cat walk suggestion or skip walk does the trick pretty well.

While wardrobe is a key component to a good family session, I think it's also important to allow for teens to feel comfortable and confident in what they are wearing for the shoot. If they aren't into a wardrobe that matches that of a long grassy meadow, I would suggest embracing the more casual vibe and choose a location to match, instead of the other way around. A city roof top vibe like Im posting below is a great example of this. Working with a teens comfort levels will ultimately have a better outcome for everyone.

My final tip for teens is a great one that adds variety to the session also.

During your planning stage of the communication, ask your families what they are into or what hobbies they have. If they play a sport, ask them to bring the ball of that sport. If they are into skateboarding, bring it! Not only will this bring confidence and a feeling of safeness to their photos, but this is a great way to make the images more personal to them and their family.

I Hope these tips help. If you have any other suggestion or questions feel free to reach out!

Happy shooting!

-M