Hey, y’all!!  Today is our awesome monthly feature, Photo 101, which is all about photography!  It has been a big hit with you guys, and I am so happy to be answering your photo-related questions again and sharing a few tips along the way!!     Each month, we will talk about various topics.  So far, we’ve discussed:

taking great pictures with your iPhone

where to print you images

photo storage

 being a mom with a camera

composing your images

editing workflow

And, today, I am sharing about how to have a successful photo shoot with small children. 🙂  Mamas of little ones, this one is just for you! 🙂  These tips can work if you are a mama working on photographing her little ones with a big DSLR camera or even something as simple as your phone.  Let’s get started!

Work around Naptime 🙂

This is my number one tip when photographing little ones!  If your sweet baby, toddler, or preschooler has a daily naptime, do your best to work around this and try and keep the photo sessions for during their happiest time of the day.  Having a happy baby or toddler takes all the stress out of taking photos!

Build it up!

Having a positive attitude and hyping your experience with your little ones can make such a difference in this experience!   Laying a positive groundwork beforehand starts everyone off on the right foot! And, this totally lends itself to my next tip…

Be gentle with your expectations, and offer a clear reward for after you finish.

Mamas, here is your permission to let your little ones be little during a photo shoot. 🙂 I promise the days will come when everyone smiles perfectly for the camera. Be gentle with your expectations when their attention spans are short and their understanding is still limited….I always say that the best way to a bad day is expecting more than the people around you can give.  🙂

Also, don’t be afraid to offer a fun reward for after you finish!  🙂

Keep it Simple, Keep it Short, Keep it Moving, Keep it FUN

As far as posing goes, try and keep things simple!  Save your Pinterest Boards for when your little ones a bit older and can cooperate a bit longer. 🙂  Speaking of timing, babies, toddlers, and preschoolers tend to work best in small doses, so keeping things short is so helpful.  Also, when I see the wheels fall off  with my tiny clients, a change of scenery can do wonders to save your photo session. 🙂

And, mostly….Go with the flow…you won’t regret this one, I promise 😉

Some of my very favorite shots are when we shoot off the cuff, when little ones are wiggly, and we let them lead the way.  🙂  Such special memories are made during those sweet days when they are small.  These captures can be the very best from your sessions!

 Have some ideas on what would you guys like to cover next month for our Photo 101 topic?  I am all ears…just leave a comment with your questions!  Happy Tuesday, y’all!! XOXO N