4 Tips for Maternity Photos With a Toddler
These are only, oh, 6 months late- but that’s fine. Better late than never.
My maternity pictures were hot, sweaty and we had to do them- twice. The toddler situation? Rough. But my photographer is amazing and made it all work.
That first set of maternity pictures are always so exciting. It’s your first baby, and it’s new and it’s just you and your partner. Easy peasy. Second set? A little more complicated as suddenly, it’s not just about you. You’ve got another child- in a lot of cases, a toddler to incorporate into photos.
I was not super prepared so I want to share a few tips I wish someone would’ve shared with me!
1. Plan your shots!
Plan what you want with your photographer in advance. If you have it planned out, you won’t have to spend time figuring it out during the session. Typically the best sessions happen at sunrise or sunset. Sunset is much more attainable with kids, but they’re grumpy. In our case, my toddler had about 30 minutes before he was done. By having a plan in advance, you can keep things moving and you can trust your photographer’s vision. I also had a setup I wanted for a few pictures since we weren’t changing outfits at all for this session. I got there early to set up!
2. Bring snacks.
Like I said, 30 minutes in and Hayden was OVER it. He needed some bribery. Cheerios are always a good option, but any candy that won’t rub off on their clothes or mouths are a great option. Definitely eat before you show up, but snacks are always a good idea. And as you can see, you can’t even tell he’s eating.
3. Bring an aesthetically pleasing activity for your kid(dos).
I dropped the ball on this one. Bring a cute toy that can also double as a prop for when they’re just not having it. My photographer came prepared. Wooden and muted color toys are always cute! A cute ball to throw back and forth or even a wooden camera would be adorable!
4. Don’t Forget Individual Photos
Get all those cute family photos in the beginning but remember that these are your last pictures as a family of ‘x’, so you can highlight your child(ren) but don’t forget to grab some glamour shots of just you and you and your partner as well.
Don’t forget to have fun. Go in ready to play, enjoy your kids and trust your photographer to work their magic. That being said, that starts with hiring the right photographer. If you’re local to the area, check out the FABULOUS Jess Harris Photo + Film!