Beyond good lighting and composition, what makes a good photo?  Emotion.  We all know that fake smile kids give.  Yes, their eyes are open.  They are looking at the camera.  BUT, it’s dead.  There’s no emotion to draw in the viewer.

This is where your photographer comes in.  The photographer needs to know when to interact and when to be a silent observer.  It’s different in every situation.  sometimes a situation calls for words like ‘poopy diapers’ to be thrown around.  Other times, photographers notice something that is happening and they don’t want to be noticed.  This is where maybe a more serious emotion might be happening.

One thing I’ve learned is that it helps to have something to interact with.  In the case of these photos, it’s their dog.  They love Louie and he gave us something to laugh about and someone to cuddle with.  So be creative, how can you draw out emotion?

Family Photographer Los Angeles // Drawing emotion out in a photo