Is there anything cuter than boys in bowties?
I may be biased, but I think my boys in bowties are some of the cutest things on the planet! Since last year was my littlest’s first Easter, I took some “formal” Easter pictures of the boys together one morning and it was SO worth it! Of course I needed to take fancy, “staged” Easter/Spring pictures of the boys again this year! If you’re not able to get some studio portraits of your kids this year for Spring, here are a few tips to do it yourself at your home! I chose to do my Spring portraits with an Easter theme, but you can go many routes! I used what I already had from last year, otherwise I would have LOVED to buy bunches of tulips for their portraits! Bunnies, florals, baby chicks, eggs, and pastels are just a few ideas; the sky’s the limit!
I’ve included pictures from 2019 and 2020 so you can see my little boys grow!
1. Find a spot outside or inside with great natural light and a pleasing background
My favorite spot for pictures is in front of our backyard white fence! It doesn’t matter where, but there should be enough shade to block the sun from your kids’ faces and torsos. There shouldn’t be any “hotspots” of sunlight, especially on their faces. If you look at the 2019 pictures, you can see that I turned the boys to try to keep the bright hotspots at the back of their heads and not directly on their cute faces.
2. Set the scene
Get them dressed up! Just like when you would get studio portraits, dress them up in “fancy” attire; my favorite outfits include bowties for my boys! Just make sure it is comfortable enough that they won’t be too fidgety.
To get my littlest to stay in one place, I like to put down a light-colored sheet or blanket (so it reflects clean light onto their faces) and have them sit during their portraits. If your kids can stand still, then have at it! Sometimes I can get my littlest to stand still if I have my older one put his arm around him, but it’s hit or miss. Don’t force it! The goal is for them to cooperate! I like to keep my set-ups simple, so last year I only had an egg-filled basket; this worked out well because my son was 7 months old at the time, and giving him something to hold helped keep him from crawling away! Set up however much or little you want! A cute letter board sign, some bunny ears, or their Easter baskets all make good props to include!
3. Don’t forget the bribes!
If you have kids like mine, it can take a bribe to get them to sit still and smile for the camera. If you want, you can have a bribe in hand to keep their attention! I like to have M&Ms or other small candies next to me, and I'll give them one every round of pictures to keep their attention going. If you don’t like going that route, have a favorite toy or something that lights up to get their attention focused where you need it. It’s also fun to “attack” them with a stuffed animal to get them to giggle, or to wear a silly hat, or to play peek-a-boo! You know your kids; be creative!
4. Guide them with prompts
Just like adults, kids don’t always know what to do in front of a camera besides smile and say Cheeeese, but we want a variety of pictures! Give your kids gentle prompts and commands throughout the shoot so that you can get those different shots. For example, have your kids give each other a hug (or do a group hug)! Have them look to whoever is the stinkiest (that gets a laugh!); have them wink at the camera, or try a new grin. See who can laugh the loudest or quietest, or see who can smile the biggest! You know what to say to get your kids to giggle or laugh! The goal is to get a variety of pictures of your kids and their personalities, all while leaving them with a positive experience. Make sure to get group pictures of your kids (all together, boys/girls) as well as individuals!
5. Don’t be afraid to do it in steps
It can be hard to do all of this if you’re doing it alone! Don’t be afraid to do it as long as your kids can stand it, and then come back another time to take more. I’ve stopped little sessions before with my kids when one of them just isn’t in the mood, and picked it back up another day! That’s one of the beautiful things about simple set ups is that you can set up/take down quickly! You don’t want them to hate the camera; you want them to know that THEY are more important than the pictures, and if today isn’t the day, then try again later.
BONUS: Print them out!
I am a HUGE HUGE advocate for printed pictures! In the boys’ room is a photo area where there are at least 50 pictures hanging and they LOVE it! The little one always loves to GASP and say “Baby!!” pointing to pictures of himself. Once you have your favorites, print them out and display them so they can be proud of how well they did! They might even ask you for more! Kids feel so good about themselves when they see themselves in pictures, and it’s a great way to relive these fond memories. Since I like to change out my kids’ pictures pretty regularly, I get them from the Snapfish app; you get 100 free prints a month, only paying shipping!
Final thoughts
I hope this little guide helps! It’s definitely not always easy, especially with your own kids, but no matter how “not great” you think your pictures turn out, THEY ARE GREAT! You’re documenting your kids as they are, and if that means some grumpy-faced pictures, then so be it! Just look at my pictures! They are definitely NOT smiling in every single one, but that’s how they were! The little one didn’t smile often at that age when he couldn’t see my face (since it was behind the camera) and the older one got bored! I couldn’t even get them both to smile in the same picture, and even have ones of the little one crying! But it’s fine! I still think they are the most adorable kids ever, and still love the pictures!! Give yourself a break and just do the best you can!
