to not think this is weird - re: photographing children

[LittleLisa78]

There is a local photographer I want to use to get some pics of DD. She's a bit different in that she asks that the child(Ren) are dropped off and left by their parents for an hour or so as she believes she can get more natural pictures without the parents watching. She is great with kids and I love her work but DP thinks it's a bit weird that she wants the children alone. She only photographs children aged 3+ in that way and is of course CRB checked. AIBU to think it isn't weird and DP is too suspicious?

would you be so relaxed if it was a male photographer?

There was no mention of the waiting room in your OP. I still think that's weird though.

Most photographers who do those kind of pics will have an array of ways of capturing 'natural' pics with parents in the room.

Piprabbit - those pictures are fab. Love the little boy with his mum's hand on his head.

My dd had her ballet photos taken by a photographer who insisted I stood outside the room. I thought that was bad enough. No way would I leave her.

Haha no it's not me. I just see her point about how kids would be more able to let loose and have fun without parents watching their every move

Yanbu, if there is a waiting room than that's fine. At least if the child is distressed the parents will be near by. I would not be happy to drop my child off and leave the building though

Odd - really, what are you thinking? Why would you think that being out of the building for a whole hour is a good idea? (And how crap a photographer is she that it takes a whole hour? What, do you want a whole album?) do you really think your child will be happy to play along for a whole hour without you alone? Will she take them to the toilet? What if they cry/are upset? A whole hour?

If she wanted you to not be in the room, then next door in the same building, able to check on your DC/remove them if they hate it, but even that would have alarm bells ringing for most parents. It's bizare that she's been able to build a business doing this, surely most parents aren't that trusting?

I can't believe that any professional photographer would be happy to not have a parent or guardian in the room being the one officially incharge of the DC when they did a photoshoot. Your DP is right.

I wonder if her reason is that she's found some parents difficult to deal with and distracting for their children and thinks it would be better if they weren't there. But I think it's a mad idea and I'd choose a different photographer.

I really don't believe this 'wonderful' photographer does as much of this type of work as she makes out.

I don't know anyone stupid enough who would leave their child with someone under these circumstances.

I just see her point about how kids would be more able to let loose and have fun without parents watching their every move - at 3?

watching every move? that suggests you'd step in and say 'no' to something if you were there -think about this - what you are saying is in order to get the photos that look good, she'll encourage your DCs to do things/act in a way that you would not be happy with and you would stop them/correct them if you were in the room. Unless you are really not a very fun person, I'd say this wasn't a good thing.

If I'm stopping my 3 year old from doing something, or if he feels uncomfortable doing something because I'm there and might stop him doing it, then it's not something I want him doing/being encouraged to do. No matter how good the photos are.

Yeah, parents can be bloody difficult to deal with when trying to photograph a child, especially when they try to distract the child and get them to smile when you don't want them to. However, she is stupid for even suggesting it, it's just something you have to deal with, just like any job.

Completely disagree that you must be a crap photographer to take an hour.. I am not a crap photographer and it takes that long at times. Different scenery, possible clothing change, breaks for children to let some steam off etc. To get a good variety of shots of young children takes time, it's not as simple as point and shooting.

Piprabbit those pictures are amazing

I think yanbu.

I worked as a photographer before having kids and not wanting to work every weekend and eveni I can see her logic, parents can be really distracting for exactly the reasons some posters have said on this thread. Things such as "I would want to direct posses" and "I'd want to be beside the photographer getting dc to smile" are really very annoying when photographing children of any age. If you have a photographer who can't pose people and who can't get kids to smile/laugh then you need to get a new photographer.

Having said that I would never ever suggest a parent leaving their child with me, I have suggested waiting in the waiting room and I have kindly explained that it doesn't help if mum/dad sit next to me trying to get dc to smile distracting the child and screwing up my lighting

Sorry I ment yabu!

This may be wrong, but if she does it in her own house (I'm assuming here) and the parents are leaving and money is changing hands, surely this is illegal due to the age of the children.

She would have to be regulated by ofsted surely if the parents are t present!
Way too dodgy imo! She must be pretty bad with kids if she can't get them to smile for a photo?!

Do a check on her?

I can understand as an artist (photographer) why you wouldn't want the parents round.

Disclaimer: I'm not an artist of photographer but I can get why it would be distracting for the littlies if parents were there.

Honestly?

A good photographer does not need to get rid of parents to get good natural photos. They will get them in pretty much any situation if they have the ability/experience.

End of debate.

If she can not deal with problems/pressures of parents being there, find a photographer who can. There are plenty about.

I would be wary about her excuses (thats what they are) both on a child protection level, and because it shows her up as being inexperienced.