How to get kids to cooperate with photos?

icindi

icindi

New member
I have four teenage boys - 15-19. They are not the most cooperative photo subjects!!! I have one that always scowls and yells at me if I try to take his picture. I even paid him for photo once when he was dressed up for an event! The others are not much better, but will occasionally smile for me while making their displeasure known. These same kids love to look at the scrapbooks and remember things we've done and seen!
My oldest will send me pics occasionally from college - you might want to scrap this, Mom! And I had my second oldest's girlfriend send me some pics the other day (why didn't I think of asking the girlfriends sooner?). But in general, my kids tolerate photos at best. Any ideas to get photos from unwilling subjects?
 
Well... you might see a whole post on this in the future on Traci Reed's blog, lol! I just finished it up yesterday.
 
I'm in the same boat with my teenage boys... they HATE having their picture taken... I practically have to beg.
 
I would suggest to do a "sneak attack snap" every once in a while... they may learn to cooperate when you'd like to have a good photo op because they dislike the outcome of the sneak snaps lol

Other than that I haven't a clue, I am in the opposite boat, my 3 boys annoy me constantly asking to have their picture taken... they've had a camera in their face since they were minutes old, so it's just second nature to them.... yea they are young, but even the teenager likes to have his picture taken (I told him I wouldn't go in to school dances or functions and embarrass him by putting him in the spotlight as long as he sent me photos (like the last formal dance he sent me photos of him and his GF all dressed up and matching)... this excludes sporting events and 4H events.... LOL
 
Long lens!! That way you can get them from afar!!

I kind of have the opposite problem. Mine don't mind having their picture taken but now that they are getting older I find that I am not really having the opportunity to take their pictures places because they're old enough that they don't need mom to be standing over their shoulders. I was just telling my husband the other day that I didn't take a single picture with my big camera in January and so far in February the only pics I've taken with it are pictures of our bathroom remodel. :(
 
I have a teen girl who loves to have her photo taken and teen boy who does not. I do three things: First, I do tell him that I need to take his photo if he wants to be in any of the family albums. Fortunately, he does and will sometimes cooperate for a shot or two. Second, I mostly just take unposed candids when I can. He's better about it if I'm not just focusing on him but get him with other family members or friends. Third, I take both my kids phones and download their photos or take screen shots of their Instagram feeds/Snapchats. My daughter takes selfies EVERY DAY and my son takes them occasionally too. They aren't always the best shots, but at least we have something.
 
JennNtheBoys said:
I would suggest to do a "sneak attack snap" every once in a while...
even the teenager likes to have his picture taken (I told him I wouldn't go in to school dances or functions and embarrass him by putting him in the spotlight as long as he sent me photos
Click to expand...

Great idea. And too funny about not embarrassing them by showing up at a dance to take photos if they give you some - I will definitely use that!!!
 
Some good ideas I'll have to try! Long lens, unposed candids, pics of the group, download their pics - thanks so much!

Sorry others are going through the same thing. :( It was definitely easier when I took the kids everywhere. Once they drive it's all over!
 
Well besides bribes, there isn't much, lol and it seems like you've already tried that :p I usually tell my boys (who are 9 & 11) they can spend 5 minutes letting me take pictures or they can listen to me complain about it for an hour ... their choice!
 
When Cheyanne refuses to cooperate (she's 15) I just tell her the crappy photos are going into her scrap album and then I follow through. I have the worst Father/Daughter dance photo from when she was in 7th grade I think. Her uncle (who has taken her since Kindergarten) tried to get her to cooperate too but she refused, so I put it in there as is. Now I remind her of that photo when she doesn't want a photo and she cooperates most of the time now.

She does still like to do photo shoots so I get photos a few times a year under the guise of a "shoot" - at the beach, at the lake, etc. Not the same as candid photos but at least she'll know what she looked like 30 years from now - :P
 
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My son, who is 11 doesn't like to cooperate but he know he has to give me one good one or else I will continue to take photos until I get one. He usually flashes a smile in-between the stupid faces so I have to be quick but I do get them. He also knows that I will use the bad one if he totally is uncooperative.
 
I'm so glad my kids aren't the only only stinkers out there! And that someone else bribed their kid, too! I'm not proud of it, but I need all of my kids in the scrapbook!!!
 
My two boys (9 and 7) have been pretty cooperative since birth - and they should be used to it since I've taken gazillions of photos of them. I'll be devastated if/when they start being really uncooperative... I'm keeping my fingers crossed that because they're used to it, and they like their photobooks, and they know 'that's just what Mum does', they will still want pictures taken. I'm prepared to be taking less as they get older though. But I will be keeping all of the above tactics in mind!
 
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