I had the pleasure of photographing the Black Family for their holiday session. They were an amazing family who hadn’t had formal pictures taken for some time. They had two adorable boys, Austin and Carter who were strutting their stuff in their super-cute clothes! Carter insisted on wearing his Beatles shirt so his mom incorporated it into his holiday outfit.

Mom was worried about getting a toddler to cooperate with the camera, but as you can see from these adorable sneak peeks Carter and the camera were definitely friends.

Here are some tips for keeping your toddler happy during a portrait session.

Tip 1: Bring a toy. Have the toy hidden away, but have access to it when needed.

Tip 2: Bring snacks, like Goldfish crackers, raisins, or baby puffs that can easily be given to a squirmy baby or toddler to preoccupy them while the photographer gets candid shots.

Tip 3: Bring special treats or rewards. Give them to the photographer to use to reward good behavior during the portrait session.

Tip 4: Let the photographer give direction to the kids. Kids are easily distracted when too many people are giving instructions, which usually results in a meltdown.

Tip 5: Parents, relax. Your kids feed off your energy and sense if you are worked up. If you are relaxed usually the kids are too. Trust your photographer to get the shots.