I feel like my unofficial niche in the photography world is working with toddlers. Just check out my Facebook reviews and you’ll see a theme lol. Being a mom of two crazy toddlers myself, I know how stressful it can be for moms (and dads) on the day of a family photoshoot. That’s why I wanted to share few tips for successful photo shoots with toddlers with you.

As moms, we typically bear the brunt of everything. We find the photographer, book the session, try to pick the right time of day around naps and meals and everything else, outfit plan and coordinate (let’s not even talk about trying the outfits on the kids in advance to make sure they fit lol), time up haircuts for the whole family, pack the snacks and the wipes and the hair brush….and pray that we can actually get ourselves put together for the photos too while wrangling everyone else. Believe me, I have been there so many times myself, and I GET IT!

Once your’e at your photo session, you try to relax and pray for some good behavior and smiles…and that your hubby cooperates too maybe. That’s where I come in. My goal for all of my clients is to be their solace in the craziness of a photo session day. I want you to show up and take a huge exhale and know that I’VE GOT YOU! I will pull out every trick I need to to get some real genuine laughs and smiles from your little ones. I’ll fix your hair when it’s sticking out crazy or your dress when it’s not sitting right. I’ll remind dad to smile if needed…and I will get the shots. I’ll capture all of your beautiful and silly and crazy family moments so that you can cherish them for years to come as you look back and remember this stage with your little(s). We can’t hold onto time unfortunately, but we can encapsulate it so that the memories live on in our family history forever.

I will show up for your shoot ready to help create some magic, but there are a few ways that you can prepare for a photoshoot with toddlers and older children as well. Below are a few tips for successful photo shoots with toddlers that I hope will help make your photo session an amazing experience for your whole family!

We recently did a tree farm mini shoot with Becca and of course, my toddler was being a bit uncooperative. Becca was so patient with him and really went above and beyond to get him to feel more comfortable with her and eventually crack a smile! When we received our gallery, I was blown away with how many beautiful pictures she was able to get! Thank you so much for capturing these special moments!

Kara

1. Fill out your pre-session questionnaire

Ok, this isn’t really a tip, because I do require you to do it lol. But this questionnaire helps me learn about your family and especially your children. Here you can share what they like and don’t like, what makes them giggle, and just anything helpful for me to know about their personalities. It’s also where I ask for any specific poses you are wanting and if you prefer more candid or more facing the camera and smiling shots etc. I am always open to inspiration photos, so feel free to text or email me photos you have seen on Pinterest or elsewhere before your shoot and I’ll make sure I work them in.

Lastly, in this questionnaire you can share anything else that you may have concerns about or questions you may have before our session. You can always reach out to me here at any time as well. I take my job of putting your and your family at ease and making the experience great for all very seriously, so the more you can share with me, the more I can prepare and the better shots we can get for you!

2. prepare

You know the saying, failing to prepare is preparing to fail lol. Not to add any pressure at all, but being prepared for your session can make all the difference. When booking your session, consider how long your child(ren) will need to be in the car for. Will this make them get sleepy or cranky if it’s too far? I’ll work with you to find a great location that is convenient for your family at booking.

Also consider the timing of your session around naps and meals. Mornings tend to be best for my youngest little clients’ moods. Toddlers and babies are usually a little more calm in the morning hours and you can predict timing better without having to possibly wake them up from a nap if they sleep long (we all know waking them up is never fun lol). If your child goes to school, I typically don’t recommend weeknight sessions for toddler age. Once your child is a little older (6 and above I’d say), after school may be more feasible. But school is very stimulating for kids and bringing them to a photo session afterwards and expecting smiles is a lot for them.

Hungry bellies are never a good thing for a photo shoot. If you have to give an extra snack on a photo session day or even bring one to the session to get your little one(s) through happily, I definitely recommend it. Just bring along some water and wipes too just in case 🙂 If you’re giving a snack in the car on the way, or even just in general, I typically recommend either bibbing your child if they are really young or just changing their shirt/dress once you arrive to the session location. The last thing we want is a ruined outfit before we even start. I can definitely edit some things out if needed, but the more we can avoid things like that the better!

Another thing to consider is if there will be a bathroom at the location of your photo shoot. Some parks do not have them or just have porta-potties. Make sure to leave time once you arrive to take your child(ren) potty so they are most comfortable during our session.

Talking to your child(ren) about the photos beforehand in an excited or happy way can definitely help too. Tell them I’m your friend Becca (this always has seemed to work well) and/or plan something fun for after the session, etc. I will definitely not judge anyone for a little bribery on a photo session day, but I typically recommend not using it until it’s needed for a smile or two. Children have short attention spans and sometimes get too focused on the reward that they aren’t able to focus on the smiles first, so you may want to save mentioning it until during our session.

3. let Your little(s) take the lead

We all know, the more you tell or ask your child to do something, the less likely they are to do it a lot of times lol. I typically start my sessions with a few quick, more posed, formal shots so that you can hold your little ones a little bit or keep them close while they get acclimated and comfortable. This is where I kind of feel out their temperament for the shoot and let you catch your breath from getting everyone there lol.

From there, I let them lead. Do they seem like they want to run around? I suggest games and things we can do that involve walking and running. Do they need to be held a little longer or a distraction of picking some flowers or exploring for sticks? We find a spot nearby to do that and I capture your candid time interacting with them until they come out of their shell, which they always do. Letting your little one(s) take the lead allows it to be fun and safe feeling for them, which allows the real smiles and laughs to come out.

If you’re hoping for more posed, smile-at-the-camera shots (something I always ask in my pre-session questionnaire so I can guide our sessions), we will squeeze them in naturally while you play. If your children are having fun and getting to be themselves, they are always more willing to give me a quick smile at the camera. 🙂 This leads me to my next tip…just smile!

4. Just keep smiling

I can’t stress enough how important it is for parents to keep their cool at a photo shoot. Children tend to feed off of their parent’s energy, so if you are relaxed and enjoying the session, most of the time they will as well! But even if they aren’t acting as you wish, do your best to just keep smiling because you never know what I’ll be able to capture while they play and explore!

Don’t ever worry about your children’s behavior at our session if they aren’t feeling it at first. Remember, I’m a mom too! I completely get it. I might even have you and your significant other take a little stroll nearby to get some shots of just the kids if needed. This lets you breathe and collect yourselves, and often kids will behave and listen more to people who aren’t their parents (sadly lol) so I might be able to get better shots this way.

5. trust me that I’ll get the shots

As I said above, I want you to be able to take a huge exhale when you arrive at your session and know that I’ve got you. When you hire me, you are giving yourself that gift of leaving it in my hands to curate the session and get the shots. Play with your kids, enjoying being dressed up and put together if it’s something you don’t often get to do, act silly, and just have fun while I do the rest! I often hear from my clients that their child(ren) talked about “their new friend Becca” the whole way home 🙂 My goal is for everyone to leave their session saying, “wow, that was fun” – husbands included!

I hope these tips for photo shoots with toddlers helps you feel more prepared and excited for your next family photo session. I can’t wait to make some magic together at our next shoot!

I just wanted to share how INCREDIBLE our experience was with this local mom + photographer. She blew us away with these pictures…

She was so easy to book + schedule with, and took extra time to scout out this location and spots for our family. Once we arrived she was incredibly patient and kind with our daughter, and gave us a mix of both candid and posed family shots, which is exactly what we told her that we wanted!

I really can’t say enough good things about her and we are blown away + so thankful to her for taking such time, care and effort to make these photos happen.

Taylor