It's a full-fledged cliche to talk about how difficult it is to get great shots of kids. But, there are some things you can do to make your life easier when you're trying to capture winning frames of children. Here's a quick checklist of items that may help prevent your photo shoot from becoming a full-on meltdown.

Snacks

Sometimes having a bargaining chip can be a lifesaver, but with snacks, there are a few caveats. First, it's important to ask the parents of the child what they can have. If you brought Cheerios and your little subject is gluten-free, you're going to do a lot more harm than good. You can also just encourage the parents to bring along the snacks, but ask that they keep them hidden from the child until the right moment. It's often a lot better to use a snack as a reward than as a bribe. Break out the grub early in the shoot and it'll be a distraction. And, chewing is not usually a flattering expression. Use it to prevent a full-scale meltdown, but don't start leaning on the Chex Mix crutch.