Give Your Kids A Little Creative Freedom On Set

So you can remember who they truly were! If you spend all your photoshoots focused on smiles, perfect poses, and what you want to print on. yourwalls ( all great) you woill miss out on WHO they were at that time of life. You often miss their personality. So I highly encourage families to make space and bargain for smiles!

Trade Smiles for Creative Control

Parents often promise treats in exchange for smiles. That often works, but creative control can be a much better trade. I often negotiate with kids during photoshoots when they’re just not feeling what the adults have planned. I’ll ask them to give me the pose or smile their mom wants, and in exchange, we’ll photograph whatever they want to do next.

Giving kids that little bit of control changes EVERYTHING. They become more invested in the shoot because they aren’t only following instructions—they know their ideas get a turn, too. It usually makes the session more fun and brings out expressions, movements, and pieces of their personality that we never would have planned.

I am absolutely willing to negotiate with tiny directors on set, but it’s even better when we build that trade into the photoshoot before negotiations become necessary. lol. And then you are on their side as a parent too!

When a Mini Isn’t Enough

Mini sessions work beautifully for kids who can step in, follow direction quickly, and finish before their attention moves elsewhere.

However, if your kid needs time to warm up, loves to move, or has plenty of their own ideas, consider booking a longer photoshoot of 45 minutes or more.

That gives us time to photograph the well-dressed, smiling, looking-at-the-camera poses parents want. As a mom, those are usually the photographs I want to print for my walls, too. But once we have them, the kid gets a real turn to take the lead.

Maybe they’re silly, grumpy, dramatic, really into gymnastics, or currently committed to poses no adult would ever suggest. Those photographs help you remember who your kid actually was at five, six, seven, eight, or ten—not simply how well they could sit still and smile.

Rayla’s Tenth-Birthday Photoshoot

Rayla’s tenth-birthday session was the perfect example. because it was moms idea to let Rayla do her thing! And it was so much FUN! Because Rayla has the best personality and she’s not afraid to show it to the camera (it helps that I have been photographing her annually since she was in the womb haha)

Her mom, Amanda, chose what they would wear and came to pre-production with several poses and ideas she wanted. We photographed those first, making sure Amanda received the smiling, thoughtfully directed images she had planned.

Then it was Rayla’s time to be Rayla. And she was 🙂 She did cartwheels. She tried poses that felt fun to her. She was serious & silly and let her real emotions show instead of performing the same smile throughout the entire shoot.

Amanda received the photographs she wanted, and Rayla had enough time and freedom to show us who she was at ten. That balance is exactly why a longer photoshoot can be worth it.

Give Your Kids A Little Creative Freedom On Set

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Want inspo for your next family photosession? Check out my what to wear pinterest board.