How to get a child with autism to pose for pictures

[Guest guest]

Ah, finally an question that I can answer with some authority (Being a

professional photographer with an ASD child).

#1. Be Patience, ( as if you didn't know that one already)

#2. Be in a room with no distractions. Bright/white usually works

better in this case.

#3. If it is a family photo, everyone else needs to always be looking

into the camera with a great smile and expression. This is very

important because at the moment your child looks good, you are usually

looking down with a face a frustration. So don't look at the child.

Don't look anywhere but into the camera.

#4. Don't go to a mall studio, They are not photographers. They are

kids who are told how to make things work within a time/shot limit.

#5. Then the hardest part, work with a photographer who has a high

level of patience, and can be interesting enough for the child to look

at, and have enough confidence to take control with things start

getting a little out of control. That way, you can relax (a little).

IF you live in the SF Bay Area, you are welcome to give me a call.

www.melphoto.com

>

> My only two children (who are very cute) have severe autism.� Each

year, I try so hard to get them to pose together for one Christmas

picture and also at their birthday (they are twins).� But they just do

not understand the concept of posing or being still for a picture or

even sitting or standing near each other to be in the same picture.

> �

> Is this something that can be taught?� They are both very

developmentally delayed and sensory seeking.

> �

> Other wise I can get very cute pictures of them smiling and looking

at the camera when they are in a good mood but not posing and not with

each other.

>

> Dana

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

My son is 4 and i've always had problems getting him to pose, i've made many

appts in studio and gone to see Santa with no luck at all.

What i do now is take them at home where he's most comfortable.

I put him in a chair by the tree and I dump a box full of bows and ribbons all

over him so he's so happy playing with them I just keep clicking till I get a

good shot and sometimes I will get my husband to quickly drop a santa hat on his

head then i keep clicking.

Then I just get them printed for everyone!!!

@...: danamichellepope@...: Sun, 7

Dec 2008 15:45:54 -0800Subject: [ ] How to get a child with autism

to pose for pictures

My only two children (who are very cute) have severe autism. Each year, I try

so hard to get them to pose together for one Christmas picture and also at their

birthday (they are twins). But they just do not understand the concept of

posing or being still for a picture or even sitting or standing near each other

to be in the same picture. Is this something that can be taught? They are both

very developmentally delayed and sensory seeking. Other wise I can get very cute

pictures of them smiling and looking at the camera when they are in a good mood

but not posing and not with each other.Dana[Non-text portions of this message

have been removed]

_________________________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

This has always worked to our advantage. We go to Kiddie Kandids in Babies

R Us. The photographers are always teenagers or young 20s . As soon as we

walk up to the photographer I tell them my son has autism and they need to be

more animated or playful. I think the teenager gets a kick out of the chance

to be really silly. We always get great shots. I find older photographers

lose the their patience more quickly. If I don't get a shot of my son in the

first 15 minutes I'm not getting it so spending more time at a private

sitting would just cost me more money.

Kerrie

Check out my Parent to Parent Toy/Game suggestion list for children with

Autism

_PARENT TO PARENT TOY SUGGESTIONS FOR KIDS WITH AUTISM._

(http://www.ratlenhum.freewebpages.org/toylist.html)

In a message dated 12/8/2008 7:18:16 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

skelvin123@... writes:

#4. Don't go to a mall studio, They are not photographers. They are

kids who are told how to make things work within a time/shot limit.

**************Make your life easier with all your friends, email, and

favorite sites in one place. Try it now.

(http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp & icid=aolcom40vanity & ncid=emlcntaolcom00000010)

[Guest guest]

Mel,

 

Thank you so much for the tips!!!  I wish we lived in the SF area.  We are on

the other side of the country on the East coast.  I would love to have an

understanding photographer!  My problem with doing pictures at home are that my

boys are fast and my camera is slow!!  I can have both of them sitting their and

looking at me and possibly smiling and the camera just takes too darn long and

one boy will look away, lay down, or get up and walk off.  That is my biggest

challenge.

 

It is wonderful that there are photographers out there that are understanding! 

Bless you!

 

Thanks, again, Dana

From: Mel Lindstrom <skelvin123@...>

Subject: [ ] Re: How to get a child with autism to pose for

pictures

Date: Monday, December 8, 2008, 7:17 AM

Ah, finally an question that I can answer with some authority (Being a

professional photographer with an ASD child).

#1. Be Patience, ( as if you didn't know that one already)

#2. Be in a room with no distractions. Bright/white usually works

better in this case.

#3. If it is a family photo, everyone else needs to always be looking

into the camera with a great smile and expression. This is very

important because at the moment your child looks good, you are usually

looking down with a face a frustration. So don't look at the child.

Don't look anywhere but into the camera.

#4. Don't go to a mall studio, They are not photographers. They are

kids who are told how to make things work within a time/shot limit.

#5. Then the hardest part, work with a photographer who has a high

level of patience, and can be interesting enough for the child to look

at, and have enough confidence to take control with things start

getting a little out of control. That way, you can relax (a little).

IF you live in the SF Bay Area, you are welcome to give me a call.

www.melphoto. com

>

> My only two children (who are very cute) have severe autism.� Each

year, I try so hard to get them to pose together for one Christmas

picture and also at their birthday (they are twins).� But they just do

not understand the concept of posing or being still for a picture or

even sitting or standing near each other to be in the same picture.

> �

> Is this something that can be taught?� They are both very

developmentally delayed and sensory seeking.

> �

> Other wise I can get very cute pictures of them smiling and looking

at the camera when they are in a good mood but not posing and not with

each other.

>

> Dana

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I've always preferred the 'candid' shots anyway. But I found that

posed pictures are easier to get if you step back into the shoes of a

behaviorist and use some positive reinforcement.

> >

> > My only two children (who are very cute) have severe autism.� Each

> year, I try so hard to get them to pose together for one Christmas

> picture and also at their birthday (they are twins).� But they just do

> not understand the concept of posing or being still for a picture or

> even sitting or standing near each other to be in the same picture.

> > �

> > Is this something that can be taught?� They are both very

> developmentally delayed and sensory seeking.

> > �

> > Other wise I can get very cute pictures of them smiling and looking

> at the camera when they are in a good mood but not posing and not with

> each other.

> >

> > Dana

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

in the past we have held one of our son's favorite things over the

photographer's head. as

for a family photo, i'll let you know if we ever get one. i agree with the

parent who said if

you don't get the shot in 15 minutes, you probably won't get it. maggie d.

> >

> >

> > >

> > > My only two children (who are very cute) have severe autism.� Each

> > year, I try so hard to get them to pose together for one Christmas

> > picture and also at their birthday (they are twins).� But they just do

> > not understand the concept of posing or being still for a picture or

> > even sitting or standing near each other to be in the same picture.

> > > �

> > > Is this something that can be taught?� They are both very

> > developmentally delayed and sensory seeking.

> > > �

> > > Other wise I can get very cute pictures of them smiling and looking

> > at the camera when they are in a good mood but not posing and not with

> > each other.

> > >

> > > Dana

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

You may have to accept candid photos of them in an natural environment

or just as they are. Most of my son's pictures are of him crying at

the photographer or staring blankly without any smile.

He was usually afraid of the photographer. Another option is to find a

photographer to come to your home and photograph them in their natural

environment doing something they like. For example watching a movie,

they can get a photo of them together, or in the yard under a tree or

whatever works. The key is finding what works for the child, where

they will sit, not be afraid, and maybe even smile for you if they

can. As my son got older he did learn to smile for pictures but it's a

very fake forced grin, and does not look natural.

Since you can get good pictures of them at home smiling, but not

together a good photographer could probably get something decent at

your house of them, maybe separate but if needed you can photoshop the

two pictures of them together so it appears that they are posed

together. You can do really amazing things with photo programs on the

computer now. Many professional photographers could do that. You may

even be able to find someone that is good at working with kids with

special needs.

I have gotten better photos of my son than any we paid someone to do.

So schedule someone with experience for a time of day when they are in

a good mood. Just some ideas that might help. I know it's frustrating.

My first child was so photogenic...smiling perfectly, posing and I

have tons of beautiful portraits of her, but my son...I have one of

him when he was one, crying and holding his ears, all dressed in his

nice Christmas suit. The other poses he was somber, serious and looked

unhappy. Not what I imagined....but it's what I got.

I hope some of these tips maybe will help.

> > > >

> > > > My only two children (who are very cute) have severe

autism.� Each

> > > year, I try so hard to get them to pose together for one Christmas

> > > picture and also at their birthday (they are twins).� But they

just do

> > > not understand the concept of posing or being still for a picture or

> > > even sitting or standing near each other to be in the same picture.

> > > > �

> > > > Is this something that can be taught?� They are both very

> > > developmentally delayed and sensory seeking.

> > > > �

> > > > Other wise I can get very cute pictures of them smiling and

looking

> > > at the camera when they are in a good mood but not posing and

not with

> > > each other.

> > > >

> > > > Dana

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

[Guest guest]

I agree completely about the pictures. I enjoy all the pictures I

have that have been taken candidly. And I have the same 'collection'

of the upset or blank looks when photographers have tried to take

pic's of him. In his school picture you can see the look of his mouth

when he says ' Noooooooo ' !! I think the flash is too much of a

sensory overload and as well the settings for those kind of pictures

require our kid's to sit in one spot and focus - I even have a hard

time with that !

E. , Sr.

> > > > >

> > > > > My only two children (who are very cute) have severe

> autism.� Each

> > > > year, I try so hard to get them to pose together for one Christmas

> > > > picture and also at their birthday (they are twins).� But they

> just do

> > > > not understand the concept of posing or being still for a

picture or

> > > > even sitting or standing near each other to be in the same

picture.

> > > > > �

> > > > > Is this something that can be taught?� They are both very

> > > > developmentally delayed and sensory seeking.

> > > > > �

> > > > > Other wise I can get very cute pictures of them smiling and

> looking

> > > > at the camera when they are in a good mood but not posing and

> not with

> > > > each other.

> > > > >

> > > > > Dana

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

[Guest guest]

Thank you all for such wonderful ideas!!

 

Dana

From: dana pope <danamichellepope@...>

Subject: [ ] How to get a child with autism to pose for pictures

Date: Sunday, December 7, 2008, 6:45 PM

My only two children (who are very cute) have severe autism.  Each year, I try

so hard to get them to pose together for one Christmas picture and also at their

birthday (they are twins).  But they just do not understand the concept of

posing or being still for a picture or even sitting or standing near each other

to be in the same picture.

 

Is this something that can be taught?  They are both very developmentally

delayed and sensory seeking.

 

Other wise I can get very cute pictures of them smiling and looking at the

camera when they are in a good mood but not posing and not with each other.

Dana