One year sessions are so fun as you see a little personality come to life. Miss Josephine did not disappoint when she came in for her cake smash session. I had an instant connection with her mom and it just reminds how God can bring people to you even when you are not expecting it!

I often get asked, how do you do it? How do you capture these little busy bodies. Well, here you go!

1. Let them play! Don’t go for the forced smile and looking at the camera pic, let’s face it, they are 1 and your chances of that are about as good betting on the weather to stay consistent in Texas. This is why I love cakes or props. Give them something to play with and they will do what they do best!

2. Sing silly songs and be goofy. I tend to lean toward barking like a dog and singing “You are my Sunshine” in a loud, obnoxious voice. You gotta get them looking at some point and saying ‘look at the camera’ is not quite in their vocabulary.

3. Get low, get low! You can’t get great angles of a little tot if you are standing. So pop a squat or heck, even lay down. Finding a different perspective can really give your final galley a lot of variety even if you don’t change the set up!

4. Be patient, but quick.  With little ones their mood can change quick, so you need to be quick.  Once you have some great shots, move on to the next setup!  At the same time, if they need a break, take one.  Most of the time a child will cry at some point during the session or show off their pouty face.   It is ok, don’t be afraid to put down the camera and comfort them, play with them or hold them.  Once they are ready, you just pick right back up where you left off.  Just don’t get frustrated, they will pick up on that and it is hard to recover!  (hint: if you aren’t good with kids, stick with nature shots HAHA)

5. Get the parents involved! If your animal making skills aren’t cutting it, ask mom and dad to jump in and make the noises they do around the house to crack a smile. This is also a great time to pause and look at dad making a fool of himself!  If parents or siblings are willing to join in, snap away. Kids are more naturally relaxed in a new environment if they are with those they know.  Plus, kids need to see their parents in the family album. After all we want to create family oriented kiddos who don’t see themselves as the center of everything (although we know we spoil them with love)!

Hope that was helpful! -Shanon

(1) Comment

Jessica - February 11, 2016 at 1:05 am

Great tips! Thank you for sharing!