Miss Kelli did very well for her session! As any parent or photographer knows, the two-three age is normally not the easiest to photograph. The trick is to keep it easy, fast, and fun so the kids don’t really feel like they are on display. Even though we were able to squeeze in four different outfits, the session only lasted about an hour and all took place across the street from my home so it was very easy (and stress free for her mommy). This was a styled session, so I provided all of the clothing and accessories, with the exception of the cute little cowboy boots which my clients borrowed from a friend of theirs. I planned the outfits in a way that we would be able to just quickly change out a few key pieces as we moved through our locations to match up with the colors in the scenery.
One thing to keep in mind when planning your child’s portrait session, though, is this…the kids run the show. Even though I had four outfits planned for Kelli’s session that certainly didn’t mean that we were guaranteed that she would make it into all of those changes. When working with small children, you have to be flexible. Some kids will do their best if left in just one outfit and others can handle multiple changes, but I never push it and I always watch the kids for signs that they have had enough. The goal is to end on a high note so everyone leaves happy. If this session had also included her parents, I would have tried to keep the outfits limited to no more than two to make sure we weren’t over stimulating Kelli and pushing her out of her comfort zone.
Past clients always know that I have my treasure box on hand full of little prizes and that is a wonderful incentive to keep little ones focused on our task. I usually start the session by showing the kids the treasure box and explaining to them that as soon as we are finished, they will be able to pick out a prize to bring home. Then I remind them of the treasure box throughout the session when they start getting antsy and it usually works like a charm to bring their attention right back where we need them. I also keep Pez and stickers in my pockets for extra ammo, but for Kelli’s session we didn’t even need to go there. Her mommy also thought ahead and brought her a couple of new little toys still in the package to help entice her along, and that was a big motivation for her as well!
So if you are thinking of having your little one’s portrait created, now is a perfect time as the spring flowers are all in beautiful bloom! Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and moms and grandmas love beautiful updated portraits of their little loves! I have a lot of dads contacting me this time of year to squeeze in a quick session in time for gifts for their wives and mothers. If this is something you are interested in, please call the studio at 925-676-7036 or send me an email at gretchen@gretchenadams.com and I will be happy to give you all of the info and help you set it up!
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