I think the most important technique for photographing children is to go with the flow. Yes, you can bribe them with ice creams, a stop at Macdonalds or even a trip to Disneyland. You can threaten them too, which works remarkably well if you want a melancholy disposition. Yet the best approach is undoubtedly to go with the flow. You might not end up with exactly the photo you had in mind, but chances are it will be an even better photo if you remain open to new ideas and opportunities.

Not all kids are happy about being photographed. You can't just walk up to them, point a camera in their face and expect them to perform. Some kids require a little time to first get used to you, then the camera, and then the fact you're taking photos. If you can spend five or ten minutes playing or talking with them before pulling out your camera, they'll soon get used to you being around and might not even notice when you start snapping away.

In the following weeks, there will be another eight techniques for photographing children. Photoshop is a great program, but unless you're planning some major artwork and retouching, the easiest way to produce great child portraits is to capture the basic image with your camera. Once that's achieved, then you can certainly refine the image in Photoshop, but refinement alone will not make a great child portrait.

Written by Peter Eastway, B.Ec., CPA, Grand Master of Photography
Publisher of Better Photography (www.betterphotography.com)