How do professional portrait photographers capture the perfect moment?

To me, it's kind of like being a sniper. You wait, wait and wait until the perfect moment.

There is no "perfect" moment that a photographer catches..... It is usually the unplanned/unposed portriats that make the "perfect" picture. The photographer just happens to be holding the camera at the time.

Portraits are not perfect moments, they are staged with good lighting and flattering poses. Perfect moments are the candid shots that capture the true emotion and personality of the person. While there may not be perfect lighting you can always change that through photoshop or some other editing software.

If owning a camera makes someone a photographer, then everyone who owns a frying pan is a chef. The art of photography is not about pushing a button on an expensive SLR. It’s about honing your craft and capturing that perfect moment which, as they say, is worth a thousand words.

From:  http://digitalsynopsis.com/inspiration/perfectly-timed-photos-taken-at-the-right-moment/

CHECK OUT the photos on that site---fantastic.

It's hard to get two year-olds to sit still for pictures, but I was determined to have these photos to mark my son's birthday. The photographer at Sears was used to kids and knew how to engage them. So......he told my son that he was going to throw him a ball and he was to throw it back and THEN put his hands on the chair.

OK. No practice needed here! We love balls! Let's go! The below photo is one where the photographer threw the ball, my son threw it back and NAILED him right in the face. He managed to take the shot anyway!