KIDS PHOTOGRAPHY Jul 2012

Allana Wesley White is a lifestyle advertising photographer specialising in kids and 'tweens, working throughout the USA and Canada from her base in Miami.

Allana came to photography from a modelling career that took her all over the world. While working abroad, she married a European photographer who gave her a camera and taught her first-hand how to make her ideas come to life in photography. Modelling has given her a unique perspective in her work, exposing her to many styles of creativity as well as teaching her how to capture each model's natural qualities. She has spent her life surrounded by kids and loves nothing more than mucking-in and making magical images with them.  

Children's wear campaigns include Urban Kids, Siblings and Elephantito.  Advertising clients include Neutrogena, Walmart, Graco Baby and Scholastic Books. Editorial clients include La Petite Magazine, Parents Magazine, Family Circle Magazine and Working Mother Magazine.

Over the last two decades Burkhard Henrichs has combined his passions for fashion photography and kids photography and lined up an impressive list of clients including Falke, Esprit, Burlington, Schiesser, Camel, Daniel Hechter, Karstadt, Kaufhof, C&A and Neckermann. In advertising, his clients include Coca Cola, Motorola, Sony, Ltu, Johnson & Johnson, Lufthansa, Mercedes Benz, Nissan as well as diverse publications and editorials.

His production office, located in the fancy Dusseldorf Media harbour, is his home base for working on studio shoots and outdoor productions from around the world.

Burkhard also offers an extensive location library with personally selected images of great locations around the globe, and his attention to detail, patience and reliability are always accompanied with a warm smile...

David Handley is a multi-award-winning photographer who was recently given the prestigious title of 'Sony World Fashion Photographer'. He is a renowned and established photographer who has specialised in photographing children and babies for the last 12 years.

He shoots regularly for commercial and editorial clients worldwide such as Mini Boden, Ralph Lauren, Mothercare, M&S and Next.

"Working with children is very unpredictable, energetic and fun, which makes it very rewarding. I love working with kids, in fact, I used to be one!"

He has an ability to capture the naturalness of his subjects, as well as a compositional aptitude and knowledge of natural and studio lighting.

David has lectured at Central St Martins University of Arts in London and also runs an online course teaching people how to improve their skills photographing children and babies.

Emma Tunbridge is a children's photographer based in London. Her energetic and playful images have become a favourite with advertising agencies and clients alike. She is also able to offer moving image alongside her photography.

This year's clients include Warner, Nestlé, Argos, Their Nibs and Belle and Boo.

Emma is represented in the UK by BonBonKids.

Visit her website for more images and full contact information.

Over a critically acclaimed 25-year history, the Glassworks has built a significant reputation producing an array of portrait, art and advertising projects. Commercially, the studio has a wealth of experience shooting campaigns for the healthcare, fashion and design industries.

The agency’s work with children is particularly well known with commissions from international brands, advertising and design agencies for clients as varied as pharma giant Pfizer, to A-list retail boutique Jigsaw.

All shoots are fully produced by the Glassworks team in central London run by Marcus Lyon, Paul Cochrane, Shervorn Monaghan and Oli Douglas.

For more information contact the Glassworks on + 44 (0)20 7735 9933.

Photographer Kymberly Marciano’s polished, strong, romantic images open the door to the magical and energetic inner world of children and adolescents. Kymberly creates imagery that is grounded in her own life and memories, rooted in a childhood spent exploring the natural world in Laguna; in her years as a globetrotting model; in motherhood; and in her extensive philanthropic work on behalf of children through the Every Child Foundation. Her photographs are inspired by a love of the past yet are firmly planted in the here and now.

Raised in an activist and cultured environment by her artist mother and architect father, her innate curiosity was stimulated early on by a family with the stated goals of “seeing the world”. Kymberly’s photographs blend the smells, scents and colours of the world that we see around us with an intuitive, feminine, and dynamic approach that provides the perfect platform for her gifts as a fashion insider, trend watcher and talented “discoverer” of new talent. Many of the young people she has discovered and photographed have gone on to big careers in modelling and acting.

Kymberly deeply understands brand building as she helped to expand Guess Kids into a global lifestyle brand. She continues to create images and campaigns for clients such as Vogue Bambini, Guess, The Children’s Place, Ralph Lauren Kids, Child Magazine and Extra Small.

Manmeet Bhatti has produced outstanding and visually stunning images across advertising, fashion and fine art. However, she experiences a different joy when shooting for kid’s brands - the unpredictability of children always leads to unexpected and magical results.

After the birth of her son, Manmeet discovered she had a full-time model on which to experiment. Shooting children took on a new meaning and she is a reservoir of patience, while being a mother herself makes her sensitive to a child’s perspective. She creates an environment of fun and lightness, helping to produce surprising, wonderful images.

Manmeet believes “You can’t force good work out of children, but you can create an environment in which they willingly contribute.”

Based in Mumbai, Manmeet has travelled across India as well as internationally for assignments. Her clients include Gini & Jony, Pantaloon, Westside, Economic Times, L'Oréal and Galaxy Chocolate, as well as magazines and editorials.

Marcus Renken is a Hamburg-based fashion photographer with a special affinity for kids. While many collegues find co-operation with children hard and stressful, Marcus is still curious and excited to find the keys to trust, "the essential ingredient to getting your models to feel free and be themselves," he says.

In recent years, Marcus has woked for a large number of catalogues including Jako-o, Fitz, Steiff, Otto, Bonprix, Tchibo, Whoopy, Stummer and Mills Fashion. He travels a lot but also likes to shoot from his daylight studio in Hamburg, particularly because many jobs now include elements of graphic and post production.

Marcus has the talent to shoot both with available light to achieve pure images, even under extreme conditions, and also from mobile light sources for an artificial look. "Light is always the most important thing for a photographer," he says. "Regardless whether it's natural or electric, you need to feel it before you you can deal with it."

Maxine Helfman developed her distinct style during years of working as a stylist and art director before turning her eye to photography. In her studio/prop shop, every shoot takes a fresh approach, from concept through to execution.

It is her work with kids that sets her apart. In a relaxed, quiet environment, she collaborates with kids producing images that are beautiful, quirky and haunting for editorial and advertising clients. She brings a mixture of wit, patience and passion to each shoot. Whether shooting on location or in the studio, it is the collaboration and pre-production that makes each shoot

Nina W. Melton spent the first half of 2012 busy working for various clients in Miami and Barcelona, always with lots of fun and great kids.

Nina will be re-launching her website in June, so make sure to check it out and be captivated by her first moving picture!

Nino Gehrig, temporarily based in Berlin during the summer, completed personal work about the next generation "Eco Boomers", loosely defined as those under the age of 21. The project was shot in the beautiful green areas of Berlin.

The teens came from Berlin Kids Agency Lichtkind while production and casting were handled by Anna Korehnke from KUKKMA and styling by Doreen Regel.

Peter Wattendorff and his team are specialised in kids photography. The established clientele ranges from worldwide fashion distributors like Coppenrath Verlag to multiple financial service providers.

Team Wattendorff received the Golden Eye BtoB Photo Award 2011 for kids playing with virtual water, with CGI by Cyclos Design.

Photographer Samantha Scott discovered her passion for photography while living abroad 15 years ago. In that time, she has developed a reputation and skill for photographing children that is both inspiring and truthful. 

Sam has a youthful spirit that allows her to capture children in ways that delight and amaze. Nomadic world travel has not only enhanced her creativity, but allows her to see the true light and energy that only comes in childhood.

Her personality and charm serve her well everywhere. Samantha believes that the best images are captured when children are doing what they love. She is super energetic, very resourceful and provides a full service organisation complete with a production team. As a graduate in Graphic Design from Miami Ad School, Sam understands layout and concept and is able to generate new ideas to that end. She often has commissions in NYC as well as MIami and is available to travel wherever the assignment takes her. She has worked with companies such as Sony, JWT, Huggies, Karen Blixen Camp and Royal Carribean.

"I am a storyteller. Photography is a way of life. It's how I live, not just what I do."

Samantha is represented by Wilhelmina Creative. For more Information call +1 212-271-1628

Silvia Coluccelli's world of photography is colourful, playful, exciting, crystalline and bright. Her great ability is to be able to communicate with her little friends by making some real magic happen.

Depending on the situation, Silvia can turn into a little girl by playing, amazing, wearing coloured wigs and finding new games, or she can transform children into small adults when she wants them to perform like Oscar-winning stars. She directs emotion and spontaneity, transmitting passion and serenity that the children she photographs are naturally drawn to.

Clients Novalac Menarini, Versace Young, Brums, Mek, Bimbus, Sottocoperta, Ninetta, Suomy, and many others.

She is represented in Italy by Doc Artist.

"Generally speaking, kids just want to have fun."

Fun is an essential ingredient when photographing kids. Tim Platt has a natural affinity with children and a knack for keeping them positive, enthusiastic and spontaneous no matter how tricky or demanding the brief may be.

"It takes a combination of technical know-how, experience, a stimulating and exciting environment, a good team, a general willingness to make a fool of yourself and sometimes a lot of patience... to be ready for that iconic shot when it happens!"

Tim has been photographing children and babies for advertising and design clients for 20 years, working with many top brands including Sainsbury’s, Robinsons fruit drinks and McDonald's, as well as many pharmaceutical and healthcare products.

He also shoots and edits video. The links are for two versions of a short video filmed for a cancer drug for teenagers. The 'boxing' concept is a metaphor for fighting the illness.