Smiles are Non-Negotiable in my Studio!

If there’s one thing I want all of my families (and clients in general, to be honest) to know about working with Jessica Strobel Photography, it’s this: in my studio, smiles are non-negotiable. Now that being said, there are definitely exceptions! We do serious photoshoots here too, and during those… well, obviously the point is NOT smiling. But overwhelmingly, in most sessions that I shoot, smiles are a big part of the equation. And over the years, I’ve perfected a bunch of strategies to make sure that no matter what, those smiles sneak into your photos, front and center!

Even the Toughest Eggs to Crack Smile Here!

I get it – some kiddos in particular are difficult to get genuine smiles from in photo sessions. Whether they’re neurodivergent and they experience overstimulation in new environments (which is totally fair and I absolutely get it) or they’re just at that age where they’re not super into having a camera pointed at them, those who aren’t “into it” usually have their reasons. And those reasons? I’ve perfected ways to get around them.

1 – General Silliness

My first strategy for getting smiles out of kiddos and adults alike? General silliness. It sounds straightforward, but let’s face it – if being funny was easy all the time, we’d all be stand up comedians. Or comedians generally. We’d all have our own Netflix specials, and the economy would be laughter-based. But that’s not how reality works, which is why over the years, I’ve collected a bunch of generally silly tools for my smile-toolbox that help me when going gets rough.

For little ones? It looks like literal toys that I use to draw attention, and get smiles. For kiddos on the older end of the scale, it can look like specifically crafted jokes I’ve practiced time and time again, that never fail to get a laugh. But general silliness isn’t the only way to get smiles in photo sessions, and it’s also not always the most effective! That’s why I’ve got other tricks up my sleeve too.

2 – Reading the Room

Honestly, I’d argue one of the most important elements of getting genuine smiles during photo sessions, is being able to read the room. And it goes SUCH a long way. Since I’ve been around the block more than a few times with dads who aren’t super into the idea of having family photos taken, and teens who would rather be anywhere else, I know that reading the room is the key to knowing what’s going to work. Sometimes the smiles come out if there’s a little extra chaos – sometimes, I’ve got to go the self-deprecation route.

Sometimes, getting a smile out of a teen means poking fun at their parents, or creating an in-joke – and knowing which approach is going to work best, means taking stock of everyone’s mood, tone, and behavior. It ALSO means course adjusting on the fly, because if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!

Reading the room is also key when it comes to getting smiles out of neurodivergent kiddos and grown ups, because it’s one of the best ways to tell whether a calm approach, or a more chaotic one is going to work for them personally.

3 – Letting You be You

Finally, another of the ways that we make sure smiles happen here in the studio, is letting you be yourself. Not the version of you that you THINK you need to be during your photo session – who you REALLY are. And part of that, is actually how we go about posing in the Jessica Strobel Photography studio!

Now obviously during a photo session, there’s going to be some posing involved. But I tend to go for a more “action packed” approach to posing, and oh boy, does it pay dividends. Of course during some sessions, like headshot and branding sessions, for example, we do seated poses, and there do have to be SOME instructions so that we capture the shots we need to for your package. But when it comes to family sessions? We get MOVING! And that’s part of what lets you be you. When you (or your kiddos) are up and moving about, and interacting, and running toward the camera, there’s not time to worry about what you look like, because you’re just having fun! You get to forget that the camera is there at all, and sink into the moment. And THAT is what brings out the smiles!

No Matter What, We’ll get Smiles in Your Session!

Whether you’re a mom worried about your teen getting involved, or you’re a parent of a neurodivergent kiddo who rarely smiles for strangers, here in the studio, we’re going to meet you where you are. And we’ll meet your teen where they are, too! However it has to happen, we’ll make sure smiles make their way into your session package, that way you get to look back on magical, happy memories you’ve made here in the studio, or wherever we met out in the world to photograph your session.

Looking for Updated Family Photos?

So – all that being said, is it about time to update your family photos? Whether you’re looking for a photographer for a one-off session, or someone who’s going to follow your family for years to come, I would be honored to capture your family’s memories. Just reach out, and we can have a chat about getting your family booked into the calendar!