Thanks Jim, I am going to do another photo shoot. She really is a beautiful child and the parents are so anxious to have a portrait they are willing to go with the pout, but it disturbs me. Each time I photograph children I learn a little more. This time, I will only have the mother present and not the aunt and grandmother. Too much competition for her attention.

Alicia

2nd Photo Shoot
 

Thanks to all of you who responded. I retook the pictures utilizing the tips and got really great pics. I couldn't find a kazoo, but the party horn worked great, (the cookies didn't hurt either). I also brought along some stuffed animals.

Almost as an afterthought, the Mom wanted to shoot some in the child's room. As it turned out, the light was perfect, she was happy and in her enviornment and I got some wonderful shots. There are about five of them with her looking at a book, very sweet, but in the second pic I post, you'll see that great smile. It will be hard to pick one, but better that than use a picture you're not really happy about.

Thanks to all for the great tips. I also received the book "Professional Secrets for Photographing Children" haven't read it yet. I'd like to know which of the two pics is perferred.

Thanks,
Alicia

Administrator's Note: Click on book title to see it at Amazon.com.

Here's the other
 

I love the smile here.

Here's the other one
 

An excellent photo... I would crop it on the bottom just above the feet and on the top in the middle of the toys on the top shelf. The way that I view it is that the toys on the shelf stop the eye from going out of the photo there, the white of the door on the right serves as a stop and leads to her left arm which directs the eyes back to the face, the minimal portion of the table leg identifies the table top which leads the eye back to the subject. I think that it would make an excellent portrait, far better than the one with the pout.

2nd photo shoot
 

Without a doubt, the one with the smile in her room at the table. It has a lot of interest and movement. This one, although a good photo, is rather blah.

Of concern...that the arm, hand, and leg position at the table makes her look like a posable doll. I love her "look" in all the photos, she is very photogenic, beautiful coloring, wonderful expression. Her mother is right in wanting her to be painted as she is now, she is bewitching and brilliant. It is unfortunate about the pose, because I really like her face in the indoor photo.

Peggy

Another choice
 

Thanks Tom and Peggy,

I had the same concern about the arms and legs, she does look like a posable doll and yes Peggy she is bewitching. Rather than crop the other as Tom suggested, I rather like this one too.

Thanks,
Alicia

I agree with Tom. I think the best of all the poses so far, would be cropping her above the feet in the other indoor photo.

Peggy

Thanks for the advice. I will crop her just above the feet as Tom suggested.
Alicia

More suggestions
 

If you were painting a portrait from life you would adjust certain aspects of the pose as you worked on them, ie. the position of a hand. Unfortunately you don