Summary: The bright eyes of small children in photograph best when we make eye contact during a portrait session. Eye contact with small portrait subjects requires a common sense approach. The tips and techniques of a veteran portrait photographer will get you good results.

When photographing children it is important to remember how very large and intimidating we might be to some of our smaller subjects.

Great portraits rely on the cooperation between subject and photographer. A simple and direct way to bridge the gap and win over a sometimes shy or reluctant subject is to get down on their level. Sit down on the floor with them, react to them with calm gestures and keep the camera and your intentions in a low profile mode.

In short, level the playing field. The unexpected reward for you, as photographer, will be a fresh view of your everyday surroundings.

Eye contact

A key to drawing out the personality of any subject is to make eye contact. A seasoned approach to solving the eye-to-eye puzzle of some subjects is patience.

Shy away from treats and rewards for cooperation. Your mission here is to get the children to respond to you, not to bribery. Establishing a bond between you and your subject is paramount to a successful photo. Earning the trust of your subject, young or old, will pay great dividends during a portrait session.

A quiet presence

Once your subject warms to the idea of your presence, slowly introduce the camera into the equation. Work quietly and slowly. Quick movements or exaggerated expressions can cause your subject to withdraw from a developing situation.

The physical aspects involved in relating to smaller subjects may create space issues. When using medium focal length lenses like a 80mm-135mm telephoto lenses (mid-range zoom on a compact digital camera) you may want to move away a few feet.

Make you move gradually and be mindful of keeping eye contact with your subject. Moving the camera away from your face to re-establish eye contact is a great idea. A “peek-a-boo” approach from behind the camera works well.

In close quarters, the use of a wide-angle lens may be necessary. Be aware of the distortion that can result when using those wide-angle lenses. They may pay unexpected rewards by including other elements of the scene.

Keys to success:
• Level the playing field
• Eye contact
• Minimize movement
• Utilize the location

A fresh perspective on the world can come when you literally “get down” with your subject. Amazingly, with a photographer’s eye, the view from “down there” may refresh your view on life in general.