If you have a taste for spontaneity, you’ll love the challenges of a child portrait photographer. Child portrait photography is a sub-genres and style under portrait photography. And there are countless avenues to explore, from event portraits to studio portraits.
Luckily, many artists have mastered the niche of child photography and can inspire you on your journey. Our article has collected 21 of Instagram’s most influential child portrait photographers. Believe us. It’s worth following them!
What Is Child Portrait Photography
The niche is self-explanatory. It involves taking portraits of children. But it should not be confused with newborn photography. The latter deals with babies a couple of months old. Beyond that age, we call it child photography.
There are various approaches that artists take to capture portraits of kids. Many go for a smooth, colorful, dreamy style, usually outdoors. It is also popular to take studio photos of children using props, backdrops, and costumes.
Some photographers even take their work to the next level by combining portrait photography with Photoshop art. This makes for unique kid portraits that become precious memories.
Who Are the Most Influential Child Portrait Photographers?
There are far too many to count. So, let’s explore a handful!
1. Iwona Podlasińska
Iwona started taking photos of her kids in 2014, and she got the hang of it in no time. Her pictures blur the line between dreams and reality.
She explores winter wonderlands, outdoor journeys, and interactions with pets. And her images have a warm, intimate atmosphere, mirroring Iwona’s love for children.
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2. Paulina Duczman
Paulina is an international multi-award-winning photographer. She mostly works from her studio and specializes in fine art, children, and family portraiture.
Stylized backdrops and props create refined and sophisticated portraits. Her photos are meticulously composed. They adopt a somber and cinematic mood akin to traditional film portraits.
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3. Jessica Drossin
Jessica is an artist based in Los Angeles. She shines brightest when working outdoors with the children. Her child portraits resemble a fairytale. They have vivid colors, smooth backgrounds, and gorgeous lighting.
Her models wear spectacular dresses and walk through stunning dreamscapes. And she also has several photography educational tools available on her website.
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4. Lisset Perrier
Your buck stops here if you are looking for heartfelt children’s portraits. Lisset’s photos of children and families are straight out of a vintage bedtime tale.
The dresses, props, and edits capture an old-school vibe and have a sense of timelessness. Lisset does workshops and online courses, passing on her photography and editing tips.
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5. Amina Donskaya
Amina’s work differs from the others on our list, as she takes portraits of adults and kids. Her signature style uses cold color temperatures and tones and often surrounds the models with flowers.
She has won several international awards for her art. And she teaches courses and workshops as well.
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6. Kathrin Belotserkovskaya
Kathrin describes her work as “looking for mystery in this ordinary life.” And this shines through her work! She exudes a more mysterious note than the artists mentioned before.
She loves playing with different light sources like fairy lights, lanterns, or candles. Her child-photography style resembles fantastic illustrations.
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7. Anna Gis
Anna has been a child and family photographer for 12 years. Her love for her family and passion for photography led her to plunge deep into this photo niche.
Apart from holding exhibitions, she also won photography awards with her work. Her style is best described as playful, often taking note of animals interacting with children.
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8. Liya Milk
Liya’s work stands out in the child photography niche. She specializes in creating fairytale-esque portraits with rare animals. You can spot deer, alpacas, reindeer, and dinosaurs (thanks to Photoshop and her beautiful mind).
She is also known for her photo series revolving around strong themes. They include Japan, Harry Potter, a medieval family, or a walk with a llama.
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9. Vanessa Rivera
Vanessa’s work embodies magical realism. Inspired by magic and fairytales, her child portraits are more like otherworldly illustrations. Her main inspiration and models are her own children, who are the main subjects in most of her photos.
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10. Elena Mikhailova
Elena is another artist whose journey in child photography began with her children. Her images are straight from a fairytale, with the kids drifting aside animals and magical lights. She also has a huge follower base for whom she holds workshops and classes.
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11. Nina Carlsen
Nina is a Norwegian fine art portrait photographer who takes children and adult portraits.
Her work has a vintage vibe, adopting aesthetic styles from the past two centuries. She accentuates this with her models’ clothing choices, making them look like wise time travelers!
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12. Sasha Chukure Sheppard
Sasha is a creative kid photographer who always finds a way to spice up her portraits. The photos of her children follow some unique concepts.
Her boys either play with balloons, go swimming, dress up in a costume, or snuggle their adorable bunny. The love that this family has for each other shines through each of her images.
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13. Suzy Mead
Suzy is an American natural light photographer who takes portraits of children in nature. Her bright and colorful style gives the viewer a feeling of peace when looking at her images.
She often takes photos of children interacting with nature. This includes children holding flowers or petting animals.
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14. Elena Shumilova
Elena is one of the most recognized child portrait photographers out there. She also takes family portraits, creating a loving atmosphere with her models.
She likes to play with light to add extra warmth to her images. And her photos have been published in several international magazines and sites like SLR Lounge or Digital Photo Magazine.
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15. Lisa Holloway
Lisa is an international award-winning fine art, child, and family photographer. She specializes in outdoor portraits and works only with natural light.
Her images are dreamy and colorful, capturing the personality of her models. She also hosts video tutorials and editing courses for budding photographers.
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16. Jackie Jean
Jackie is an American photographer and visual artist. Her children are her muse.
She captures children in gorgeous environments. She uses light and vibrant colors to create a magical atmosphere. She travels across the US, taking photos and holding workshops.
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17. Jessica Louise
Like many others on our list who take pictures of their children, Jessica mostly photographs her own daughter. She captures special moments of their everyday life.
Photo sessions include road trips, playing in autumn leaves, or swimming on the beach. Her photos celebrate how she and her daughter enjoy life to the fullest.
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18. Kapuschinsky
Kapuschinsky is an internationally recognized, award-winning fine art photographer. Her work differs from others listed here as she only takes black-and-white photos.
Her approach to child portraiture focuses on textures, contrast, and emotions. This signature style combines the film photography approach with modern techniques.
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19. Magdalena Berny
Magdalena has a very distinctive, sophisticated approach to child portraiture. She mostly takes studio portraits and focuses on facial expressions.
Many of her images have a minimalistic style. Her portraits are primarily fine art photography with a hint of editorial fashion.
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20. Kristen Ryan
Kristen’s approach to child portraits focuses on details and dynamic moments instead of posed ones. She often captures movement, creating a strong dynamic tension in her composition. She is a gifted storyteller and freezes memories of great adventures.
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21. Your Kids Smile
Your Kids Smile is a community that features child portrait photographers from all around the world. You only need to tag the site or use #yourkidssmile to get noticed.
You can find photos from several artists with many styles on this page. Check it out if you want inspiration for your client’s or kid’s portraits!
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Conclusion: Child Portrait Photographers to Follow
There’s not a dull moment when you’re taking photos of children. You need plenty of practice and experience to capture their true personality and raw emotions. It’s important to catch candid moments, and master posed portraits.
If you want child portraiture inspiration, check out our list of artists above. Do you agree with our list? Drop us a comment with your favorite child portrait photographer under this post!
