Has This Ever Happened to You?

The Chaos Begins

Picture this: Two weeks ago you signed up your 3‑year‑old and 18‑month‑old boys for a Christmas mini session at 9:30 am. Twenty short minutes.  That’s easy, right? You’re expecting cute PJs and perfect shots for your Christmas card.

But then… BAM!

Your oldest sprints toward the backdrop, steps on the bottom and it slides out from under him (ouch!). But luckily no injuries were reported. Meanwhile while this is going on your youngest decides to make a break for it down the hall. Cue the toddler chase: chase him back, shut the door and repeat—twice.

By now you're thinking, “Why did I sign up for this?” You just wanted a few adorable shots and you’re watching everything fall to pieces.

How Do You Handle It?

Here’s what helped and what I’ve learned over years of working with littles:

          📌 Get on their level: Toddlers aren’t big fans of grown-ups looming over them. Getting down low puts you in their world and helps them feel important and takes away a lot of the pressure.

          📌 Relax (aka “embrace the chaos”). There’s no such thing as a perfect session with kids! But if you let them be themselves, the genuine moments with sneaky smiles, curious stares or tiny hands exploring props or candy canes are often the best ones.

What Happened Next?

And you know what? It worked. We ended up with fantastic individual shots and some wonderful brother moments. Mom was absolutely over the moon especially given the early morning chaos.

This session unfolded in November 2023 and yes, candy canes were enjoyed by all.

Lesson learned: always tape the backdrop down but more importantly always let kids just be kids.

Why My Approach Helps Kids Feel Comfortable

Here's why this works:

          ✅ Trust matters: Letting them see you as a friendly face and not a stranger with a camera makes all the difference.

          ✅ The best photos are real: Frozen, posed moments are nice but not nearly as memorable as kids caught in real connection.

          ✅ Fun = good photos: When you laugh, play and let go, it shows in every smile.

See the Results

Want to see how the pictures turned out?

Check out the adorable pictures below from their session.

Ready for Your Own Stress-Free Photo Session?

Thanks for reading! If you’re planning a session with your little ones, remember: I’ve got you. I’ll help keep things calm (well as calm as they can be 😂), fun and stress-free so you can walk away with beautiful, meaningful photos of your family.

Jonathan

Text or Call Me! (540-793-0798)

Email Me! (jonathan@mess-e-photos.com)