utah maternity

One of my favorite things about photographing families is the interaction with little kids. I love getting a good mix of both candid and posed shots to capture their spirit and personalities as they grow up! 

I put together a list of 10 ideas you can try to get kids to come out of their shells and feel more comfortable at your sessions. These have worked for me time and time again, and while I know it’s different for everyone, they are worth the shot to get those emotion-filled images. 

1. Kids Run Under Blanket: Having a prop can help distract them and give them something to play with, but also can help mom and dad not feel like they are having to keep the kids in major control and tied down! 

2. Dance to Favorite Song: This is a favorite for little kids. When you have kids who just won’t listen, try a little of their favorite music to get their attention and to get their little bodies moving! It’s so fun to see them do little dances and you often get such darling images from it. 

3. Puppet Master: Mom or dad will hold them up as a puppet and make them do silly things! This one is fun because you can get the parents in the shot with the kids.

4. Bring Personalized Props: Like I said earlier, having some type of prop really is great for little kids to keep them distracted and great for older kids because it’s something they love. I had a darling group of boys who LOVED soccer, so we brought their soccer ball and got a few shots. The boys loved it so much, they kept saying how they will totally do this again next year! 

5. Ring around the Rosie: Another great one for siblings. If you have little kids, this gives a way for the big kids to be involved and do something with them! As kids age, I know some people can feel a little more uncomfortable with asking them to do things, and this is a great way to get older kids to play with younger kids!

6. Toss Them Around: This is great for mom or dad to do with the kids! Kids love being tossed around! Plus, this is a great strategy for kids who won’t hold still – the parents can toss them in one shot and then the kids are already in their arms to hold still for more serious shots.  

7. Have a Pretend Picnic: Kids love getting to play and adventure out in nature. This is a perfect way to get them interacting with you during their “picnic” to distract them from the actual photoshoot. 

8. Throw Leaves: During fall time, find a spot with leaves so that you can have them throw the leaves up in the air. This is a great way to inject motion into your images as well. 

9. Running Away From and Towards the Camera: These are some of my favorite shots because you get a genuine smile of them “racing” or feeling like they are super heroes. So many ways to encourage them to do this and get them invested with you. 

I hope these tips help you to create some magical sessions for your and your families!