capturing your child at their best

i love, love, love taking photographs of children! yet, anyone who has children knows that it can be challenging to reign them in to achieve that ideal photograph you’ve got floating in your mind that you saw in an advertisement or a magazine. 

but, this is exactly why i love working with children the most! isn’t it so often true that when we enter a room full of children discovering the world around them, that we too can drop some of our biases and revel in what it must be like to experience the world through their eyes, and perhaps recall our own memories? i don’t want to pose your child as a cookie cutter image and i don’t believe in having any child repeat, ‘cheese!;’ it is most important to me to capture your child exactly as they are at this precious, exciting moment in their life! and while i am happy to work to pose them on occasion, i prefer them to run the session. after all, the best way to capture the most meaningful and true image is to allow them to be comfortable enough to reveal it. 

so, how do i achieve that? you and i work to accommodate each individual personality. first, let’s take some time to talk about what your child loves. is she really into trains? is he a budding artist? well, let’s include that in our images. i will brainstorm with you to suggest or provide props i think will work without being overwhelming, and i encourage you to share your ideas with me. let’s also talk about wardrobe, colors, shot lists, location, and additional likes and dislikes. it is so important to me that not only do we achieve photographs to treasure for  years to come, but also that the session is fun, relaxed and a cherished experience in itself!

if you have a shy child, having their session in a place that’s familiar for them can sometimes make it easier. and, if we’re having a rough time with shyness or sudden misbehaving, i sometimes ask that you take a short walk. in my experiences photographing children, i have found that there’s something about mom and dad not hovering over them that often opens them up to participate, listen and most importantly, have fun! (don’t worry you don’t have to go far! you can still peek from behind a bush if you’d like!)

if you’re coming to my studio, let’s make it as relaxed as possible! if you are photographing multiple kids together and individually, don’t hesitate to bring games or even movies for the down time. there are plenty of comfy places for kids to hang out and i’ll be sure to stock up on water and snacks. 

i find that it’s best to schedule a session when your children are most alert and well fed! if our session is outdoors, it’s always a good idea to bring water and a snack for those emergency munchies—hey, being a glam kid can work up an appetite! 

i am so excited to hear what you have in mind; i don’t want to settle for a posed image, i want to exceed your expectations!