Newborn Family Photography – Wexford PA – Getting Toddlers Involved

Newborn photo sessions have a soft spot in my heart and it was wonderful to spend the morning with this new family of four. Parenting of one is hard enough but Chloe and Sean are doing a fantastic job finding the balance of two littles. Watching big brother Robbie interact with his new sibling (or should I say avoiding his brother completely) is classic. Seeing it brought me back in time to when my daughter was born. My son barely looked at his sister and now it just makes me giggle thinking about it.

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Just getting everyone ready for a portrait session can be exhausting. Then getting toddlers engaged and smiling can be stressful.  I get it, I have been there, but I also have a lot of techniques to help us out.  The captured memories outweigh the work, hands down.  Here are a few ideas to think about when preparing for a newborn photo session!

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– Six Tips –

1. Try to stay relaxed. I know, more easily said than done. Toddlers will feed off your energy and they are constantly evaluating your emotions. 

2. Distractions can be the best way to ignore the strange person with a large black box pointed at them.  Singing a quiet song, reading a book together or talking about what is going on outside are simple ways of engaging a toddler while I snap some memories. 

3. Talk to them and just keep smiling.  When the parent is smiling at their little one it is beautiful and I love capturing emotions. A serious face on a toddler are just as priceless as a smile because toddlers don’t hold back their feelings.

4. Have a helper at the session. Friend, parent, neighbor, or grandparent. Familiar silly adults can get anyone laughing. 

5. Set realistic expectations.  It doesn’t matter if the person is 90 or 2 years old, everyone has a limit and age-appropriate expectations for a photo session.  I love to mix things up and take snack breaks as needed.

6. Finally, try to avoid screen time the day of the session or even the day before. Kids frequently have a hard time transitioning away ultimately making everything more extreme.

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Newborn and Family Photography

Hey there, I am Marie! A wife and mama of three littles. Picking up my camera and freezing special stages in everyone’s lives brings a smile to my face. I would love to serve you and other families in the greater Pittsburgh, Beaver, and Wexford PA areas. Click here to get in touch with me! Make sure to follow along on Instagram and see the latest laughs!

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