Most parents who book a session with a toddler send me some version of the same message a week before: I should warn you, he won't sit still.
He doesn't have to. Toddlers don't sit still, and the best photographs of them are almost never the ones where they did. What makes a toddler session go well is mostly decided before you leave the house, and it has very little to do with getting them to behave.
Here's how I'd prepare, as a photographer and as a mother of a small boy myself.
Book around the nap, not the sunset
The light is best in the last hour before sunset. Toddlers are at their best after a good nap and before they're hungry. In spring and fall those two line up nicely. In June and July they don't: sunset in Kitchener-Waterloo is after nine, which is well past most bedtimes.
So I don't insist on perfect light. If your two-year-old falls apart at seven, we'll shoot earlier and find shade under trees, where the light is soft even when the sun is still high. A rested child in open shade beats a tired one in golden hour every time.
When you get in touch, tell me roughly when your child naps and goes to bed. I'll pick the time around that. My golden hour guide shows when the light is best each month.
Don't prepare them too much
It's tempting to talk the session up for days. We're having photos! You have to be good! Smile for the lady! That usually makes it a bigger deal than it needs to be, and some children dig in.
Keep it light: "We're going to the park with a friend who has a camera." That's all they need to know.
And please, don't ask them to say cheese. A toddler's "cheese" face is a grimace. I'd rather have a hundred frames of them looking at a bug.
Feed them first, and bring more snacks than you think
A hungry toddler can't be photographed. Feed them before you leave, and bring something small and not messy for halfway through: crackers, blueberries, a pouch. Avoid anything that stains, like strawberries or chocolate, before the session is over.
A short snack break isn't time lost. Some of my favourite frames are a child sitting in a parent's lap with a cracker.
Bring one comfort thing
A teddy bear, a blanket, a small toy they love. Evan, who was turning two at his family session in the meadow, brought his teddy. It made it into more frames than his dad did, and those are some of the sweetest pictures in the gallery.
The comfort thing gives a small child something to hold when everything feels new, and it gives me a reason to photograph their hands.
Dress them for moving
Toddlers will run, crawl, sit in the grass and lie on their backs. Dress them for it.
- Soft, simple clothes they're already comfortable in. Not a stiff new outfit they've never worn.
- Overalls, rompers and simple dresses all work well. Denim overalls are a favourite of mine.
- Bare feet look lovely on grass in summer. Bring shoes for the walk in.
- Skip the big logos and characters. They pull the eye away from faces.
- Bring a spare outfit in the car, for spills and mud.
My what-to-wear guide has full palettes for the whole family.
Let them explore
Once we're there, I don't line anyone up for the first few minutes. Toddlers need time to decide a stranger with a camera is safe. So I let them wander, show me a stick, chase a leaf. I'm photographing the whole time.
Your job is simple: follow them, get down to their level, and stay close. Pick them up when they come back to you. Hold their hands while they walk. Lie in the grass with them. The photographs of a toddler that matter are the ones of you and them together, and those happen when you're paying attention to your child, not to me.
At Dickson Park this summer, Timofii spent most of his session practising walking while holding his mother's fingers. That's the gallery.
Expect at least one meltdown
Something will go wrong. They'll cry when you put them down, refuse the hat, or decide halfway through that they're done. That's normal, and it isn't a failed session.
When it happens, we stop. You cuddle them, I wait, and usually within a few minutes they're back. Some of the most honest frames come from right after a cry, when a child is curled into a parent's shoulder.
If they're truly done, we're done. That's also why a 30-minute mini session is often plenty for a family with one toddler. Thirty minutes is about the length of a small child's good mood.
A short checklist for the day
- Nap before, if possible
- Fed before you leave
- Snacks, water and wipes
- One comfort toy or blanket
- A spare outfit in the car
- Bug spray in summer, layers in fall
- Shoes for the walk, bare feet allowed for photos
Frequently asked questions
What's the best age for a toddler photoshoot? Any age works. Around one, when they're just starting to walk, is especially sweet, and two is wonderful if you embrace the running. What matters more than age is the time of day you book.
What if my toddler won't cooperate during family photos? They don't need to. I photograph what they're actually doing, and I build in time for breaks. If they melt down, we pause, and if they're done, we stop.
How long should a photoshoot with a toddler be? Thirty minutes to an hour. For one toddler and one or two parents, a 30-minute mini is often enough. For bigger families or siblings, an hour gives us room for breaks.
Should I bring toys to a toddler photoshoot? Bring one comfort item and a small snack. A bag full of toys tends to become the session. I bring a few small tricks of my own for getting attention.
