Toddlers are fun, aren’t they?  They are learning to talk to us, learning to relate to others, and learning how to be a person in this big world.  Sometimes that learning process presents them with stumbling blocks and frustrations, and they don’t always handle it the way we would like them to.  I hear from moms sometimes that they have been putting off professional photos because they have a child who is “uncooperative” or “difficult.”  I have a few things to say to that…

Aren’t all toddlers difficult on some level?  My son Jonah is 2 1/2, and though he is generally very sweet, he is still two and he has ideas about the way things should be!  He really vents his frustrations when it’s just the two of us because I think he is testing boundaries and seeing how I will react to his behavior.  I think a lot of toddlers save the biggest meltdowns for mom and are usually more intrigued and focused when around someone they don’t know as well.

Next, your own difficulty getting good photos is precisely the reason you hire a professional to do your child’s portraits.  I have photographed children many, many times and have strategies for avoiding the blurry, back-of head shots that you may have grown accustomed to seeing of your child.  My main strategy is to connect with your child and engage him or her in play, and that way we can get some genuine expressive portraits, and your child will feel relaxed.  I have also found that by designing our shoot around your children’s happiest time of the day, when they are well-rested and fed, we can usually avoid any potential problems.

Lastly, if it REALLY is not a great day for your child, and despite my best efforts, he or she refuses to come out from under a table (this happened to me one time!), we will pick another day and reshoot.  I stand behind and guarantee my work!

How do you keep your toddler happy?  Share your strategies with me in the comments!

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Are you looking for a family, maternity, or newborn baby photographer?  Powder Blue Photography offers in-home and in-studio portraits of newborn babies and on-location or in-home maternity and family portraits in and around the Pittsburgh South Hills and Mt. Lebanon.  Please contact Missy to schedule a maternity appointment and a tentative date for your newborn session.  Maternity sessions take place around 35 weeks (depending on mama’s stature), and newborn sessions take place in the first 10 days of life.  Family sessions take place anytime!