Its something I hear far too often when I see people taking pictures of their children or friends..."look at the camera," "smile," "oh don't squint," and "smile for real." Forcing a subject to look at the camera ruins more good photographs than you would think possible. Parents spend so much time trying to coax a "real" smile out of their children that the end result is often tears from the children and yelling from the adults. Photographs are meant to be records of life. Do you want your photographs to record anger and sorrow? Stop believing there is one "right" way to take photographs of your children, family, and friends. Make photography a happy (or at least relaxed) event instead of a traumatic confrontation that might require years of therapy to recover from.

Make sure you plan for plenty of time when taking family portraits so that no one feels rushed. Make sure there are toys to keep children entertained. Light snacks and water are also a good idea if you will be outside for a fairly long time. And above all else, remember that it is Photo Myth #1 that a subject must look at the camera.