Embracing Gap-Toothed Smiles and Braces Children’s Portrait Photography

children's portrait photography

Picture this: you have been aching to set up a professional portrait photography session, but one or more of your children just lost a baby tooth and is now sporting a gap-tooth smile. Should you wait for the adult tooth to grow in, or do you capture the cute but gapped smile? Personally, I love taking pictures of children with missing baby teeth. Doing so allows me to photograph the precious moments of childhood that will be over before you know it! I feel the same way about braces, believing that they should be included in photos because they are an integral part of your child’s life at that moment. If you are still on the fence about moving forward with your session planning, see if I can convince you:

Capturing a Sweet Smile with Missing or Gapped Teeth

Children typically loose all of their baby teeth during their primary school years, gradually replacing them with permanent teeth between the ages of about six and twelve. Because of this, you should expect at least one of their yearly school pictures to feature a partially toothless grin! This is an adorable part of childhood that reflects their sweetness and innocence. Unfortunately, this time in their life will also pass quickly. Your child’s cute, goofy, or mischievous grin deserves to be captured on film so you can look back on it in the future.

The alternative is waiting to have professional portrait photography pictures until your child’s adult tooth grows in. However, the chances are that another baby tooth may have fallen out by the time a new adult tooth appears! Plus, if your child has siblings, visits from the tooth fairy will be a regular occurrence. Instead, embrace their uneven or silly-looking grins and cherish this time in their lives.

Feeling Comfortable with Braces in Pictures

Having braces can be a touchy subject, even though they are more common than ever before. Some kids feel self-conscious, and you might think that most parents would hesitate to book a portrait photography session during this time. In reality, lots of mums have told me over the years that they do want pictures of the braces! Many mums recognize that wearing braces is an important part of a child’s life and that the resulting images will become adorable keepsakes.

When it comes to high schoolers or adults who wear braces, the best thing to do during a shoot is to relax. Smiling naturally will look much better than trying to hide the braces. Doing that often results in a tight and awkward smile, not to mention the posture that comes from feeling uncomfortable about one’s appearance. Plus, you can always get updated images once the braces are off. In the meantime, however, there is no reason not to document and cherish this time and experience.

Finally, do not worry about any possible reflections or glares from the braces themselves. I am well versed in setting up shots so that there are no unwanted glares off of braces, glasses, or jewellery. The right lighting will keep every image looking great.

Celebrate Milestones and Make Fun Memories

Whether someone in your family has braces or is missing teeth, the image will be uniquely you, at that moment. You can look back on them and remember that time in your life, along with the fun experience of the session. You can also have extra, high-quality portraits printed to send to far-away family members who may miss out on these little milestones. I offer plenty of on-location advice and guidance to help everyone feel at ease. The portrait photography session will not be overly formal or complicated, and you will not have to perform or pretend to be having fun. In fact, I welcome and encourage kids and families to giggle, play, and have fun together during a sitting.

The more comfortable your family is, the easier it will be for me to capture your unique personalities, relationships, and bonds.

In addition, booking a session will help show your child that there is no reason to be ashamed of having braces or sporting a goofy grin. After all, no one else is really concerned about these things! If you waited until everyone family members teeth were perfect, you will miss their entire childhood. We can always take some non smiling relaxed images as well. Embrace all of the traits and features that make you “you,” and encourage your children to do the same. When you are ready, talk to me about booking a session. I cannot wait until you see the resulting portraits!

Talk soon,
Margherita :)

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