family&kids.

Dimples on chubby cheeks and tiny muddy toes, these are a few of my favorite things! Although I might offer a wide variety of photography, I'll be the first to admit that working with toddlers is by far the category I love most. These little humans are easily my most expressive clients with the least inhibitions; we could probably all learn a thing or two from them when it comes to acting natural in front of the camera! 
One of the most frequently asked questions I get is whether you can bring props, so here's my thoughts on this in regards to family and kids sessions. More 

often than not, I find what works best for little ones is to let them roam free and explore. It's not that I don't allow props, but oftentimes I find that something that can happen is that parents may get too attached to the props, and achieving a very specific photo setup. While trying to accomplish this perfect shot, we miss out on all the natural candidness that toddlers radiate when they're allowed to explore, and as we all know, sometimes forcing littles to do something they're not keen on can result in pandemonium. The last thing we want is to lose them for the rest of the session!

Which leads me to my other most frequently asked question: "How on ​​earth do you get such natural photos during your family shoots? My kids never want to listen like that!" Simply, my biggest piece of advice is to let them dictate the session. Toddlers in particular want to do what they want to do, so really, I just let them! If they feel they are in charge, this opens up an ocean of possibilities for our session. Let them collect leaves, smell the flowers, stick their little fingers in the dirt; the world itself is full of props. Oh, and having a full belly and/or snacks for motivation always helps, too. ​ ​​