12/02/2025
my biggest tips/advice for documenting families with littlesšš»
šbe prepared to play, explore, wander, and maybe get a little dirty. in my almost decade of experience Iāve learned that not every child is going to love the camera. it can be intimidating and most are not going to follow all your guidance and prompts without trust. before you hold your camera up in front of your face to document them, get on their levelā¦literally. squat down to see them eye to eye, introduce yourself directly to them, ask them about themselves, play and explore the location with them, and speak with excitement. candidly document those moments without bringing your camera to your eye. then begin with parent involved prompts āoh my gosh those flowers are so beautiful huh?? can you pick one for mom?ā
šbring parent approved small snacks/treats. donāt tell them they have to wait until the end of the session to receive it. reward them between poses to encourage them to continue on. use them as guides to pose. ācan you find the goldfish in dads shirt pocket/babyās blanket/etc?ā
š«§bring things for them to do that you can incorporate into the photos. a book for them to look through or read with parents, bubbles to blow, flowers to pick the petals off of, a toy camera for them to help you take photos of mom + dad with. the options are endless and affordable.
š¶play music. this is something I do at all my sessions but especially ones with children. ask what theyāre favorite song, band, or movie is and play those songs. that alone can provide comfort because itās something familiar in an unfamiliar place. encourage them to dance or sing along.
very rarely will you get a child/ren who are ready to stand in front of the camera, ready to steal the show. genuine interaction with them to make them comfortable will help you build trust and connection and that is when you will be able to document them the bestš¤
