Once and a while small children are anxious to pose during a photo session. I remember a time when I was in England for a commission of two little children. A 6-year-old boy and his little sister. The commission was of two separate portraits. I had no trouble with the boy, who did his very best. But the girl was extremely shy and she kept looking away from my camera. I tried everything but without success. Then I got an impulse to position the brother next to her on the small seat. Out of sight of the camera of course. But close enough to give confidence with his presence to the sister. That was a good move. This vicinity set her at ease, and in the end I got beautiful pictures. I can not show anything of these portraits, because of privacy reasons the parents gave no permission. Therefore, another image.
This boy was not shy at all, in fact he was quite free. He is resting with one arm on his mothers drawing table. You see, the fist is closed on the portrait, but in reality he made a gesture as if he had a gun in his hand and every time I took a picture he shot me. Bang! I only let him go and in my studio I changed the position of that hand.
