I have heard it time and time again…If only my own kids would look at the camera. Unfortunately many photographer’s kids have this same camera aversion…only to smile and take great pictures for OTHER people! My daughter will occasionally ham it up for me, but not as often as I’d like, and I don’t have too many with her and myself. After thinking about this and talking to my friend who is also a photographer, we decided to get together for a FUN day of taking photos of each others kids in hopes we could get some genuine smiles.

Then I thought, I wonder if this would be something other local photographer’s would want to do…a sort of Photo Playdate. So I guess I’m just throwing the idea out there for other photographer’s, not just in my area, but all over! Maybe suggest a Photo Playdate to a few fellow professional photographers…and have fun with it! My idea is that there’s no session/sitting fee and charge just for prints (or even offer a discount on prints). There are so many great things about this, here are just a few:

+ You get a chance to have your kids professionally photographed
+ You have the opportunity to try something new without the pressure of a paid client
+ Each photographer brings their own unique style to the play date and this can in turn be very inspirational
+ The kids get to meet each other and just play and have fun
+ The photographers get to meet each other and just play and have fun

A few recommendations if you decide to do this in your area. Make it known that no files will be exchanged. Each photographer has their unique editing style – so let go of creative control! After all you will be busy editing photos of your own. Have it be a no-obligation agreement…so you aren’t required to buy a minimum or even any. Keep in mind that if you don’t have a photographer buy your prints from the playdate you still were able to practice, have fun and hopefully have some great shots of your own kids. There is nothing to lose!

The goal here though is to have pictures of your own kids, so just put some extra $$ aside so you can support each other as photographers and have some great prints of your kids. Set some time aside in the beginning of the playdate to get a chance to meet each other, exchange business cards, take care of paperwork such as a model release, etc. Then pair up and have some fun shooting! I started a Facebook Page – Playdates for Photographers as a way of getting together and arranging events, discussions, etc.