It is no mystery that young children have short attention spans. They are easily distracted by the sights and sounds of everything going on around them. Add a family photo shoot into the mix and we’re talking a maximum distraction situation! Can you blame them? The world is an exciting place, and a family photo shoot should be an adventure your child talks about long after it is over.

My goal when working with young children is to let them be themselves – silly faces, goofy poses and all! The average toddler (2-4 years of age) can stay attentive to a single activity for approximately 5 minutes (if you’re lucky!). For this reason, I try to get the “more formal, look at the camera and smile” family photos out of the way first. Then, I move to more playful activities that engage children and allow them to show off big genuine expressions. I also give plenty of time for breaks during the photo shoot, so kids can run, play and interact with the environment. These mini-breaks create a great opportunity to take solo portraits of family members or capture candid shots of kiddos playing.

With the Parker Family Maternity Session, I felt it was important to help Jolene (3 years old) feel like a star. The matching “mommy and me” flower crowns were a special touch that went a long way in helping her feel extra special in front of the camera. There was dancing, singing, silly faces, shy moments, and plenty of hugs for baby brother. Moments like these are truly some of my favorites to document.

*Handmade flower crowns created by Flowers By Suzanne.