"Look at the camera" … "Okay, don't look at the camera"

I'm having a big time problem getting my kids to look at the camera and want to get them to pose while looking away from the camera. When they were little the gazes away from the camera seemed more natural or maybe just expected, now that they are older, 6, it just isn't working.

I need some advice for posing two kids with eyes on something other than the camera.

This problem is mostly with studio shots, but comes up with environmental shots too.

How far off camera should i have them look? Up and away from the camera? or level and near the camera?

It all depends on how important the eyes are to the shot. For posed pictures, I usually want to see my kids looking at the camera, but there are times when I'd rather have them focus elsewhere. My wife comes in handy for our youngest especially (6 months).

I recently did a few shots with a book and fake present boxes for Christmas cards- giving them something to interact with can be nice for getting those real smiles, and not forced.

Here's an example of a real smile I got from my son while he reacts to my wife playing with our youngest out of frame:

when you want them to look AT the camera, I heard of a great trick, ... with very little effort and shaving a bit of plastic off, a PEZ dispenser fits into the hotshoe... give em a few pez from there, and their eyes are glued to the spot!

Thumpa33 wrote in post #17524289
when you want them to look AT the camera, I heard of a great trick, ... with very little effort and shaving a bit of plastic off, a PEZ dispenser fits into the hotshoe... give em a few pez from there, and their eyes are glued to the spot!

That's how I get my dogs to stay focused, just with kibble... Lol