What happens on a fine spring day in a park with two adorable and slightly silly boys? Well, you might dress them in old-timey clothing to look dapper, bring a few props (among them one big green balloon), and start shooting away. They’ll take care of the rest.

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone when I say that sessions involving children need to be pretty fast paced and fun. Children get restless quickly, particularly the little ones. You as a parent really should approach a session as something that will be lots of fun (because they are!) and you’ll be surprised how much smoother the session will go. You should set this tone as you’re preparing for your session. You do not need to talk to your child about what to do and how to smile. During the session put your best foot forward and just be happy as you can really set the mood. Relax and trust me. I got this. I will engage with your child/ren and see what they respond to. I will probably get silly and use many tricks I have up in my sleeve to get them comfortable. I will ask for your help if I need it. And remember, not every shot has to be of the children smiling and looking into the camera. Often the best shots are the ones where an interaction is happening or an expression other than a big smile is captured.