Brother and sister hugging in a field

Preparing A Toddler For Your Family Session

I absolutely love working with toddlers. They have a mind of their own, have deep set opinions and those little toothy grins are almost more than I can handle. From my years of experience, I have found there is a unique way of preparing a toddler for your family session. Here are some tips and tricks for the toddler years: 

Preparing A Toddler For Your Family Session: Discuss Expectations

Toddlers are super perceptive, even if they don’t always understand what you are talking about. When you are talking about your family session, be sure to talk positively about it. I always encourage parents with a script like this: “We’re going to go meet my friend, Sharon, at _____. We’re going to take pictures of us having fun together! I know you can be a big helper and use your listening ears. After our family pictures are done, we’re going to go get ice cream together to celebrate how well I know you’re going to do!” This makes toddlers really excited and sets them up for success.

Brother and sister hugging in a field

Look at Pictures

As adults, I think we assume that toddlers always know what we are doing when we are doing it. But some lady at the park, pointing a black square at them while they smile may be confusing! Don’t be afraid to scroll through your phone and look at specific pictures and talk about how they were made. Find a picture of your kiddo looking happy and say “I love this picture because you look so happy that the sun was shining! Can you show me that face?” Actually practice! Yes, it feels silly! But toddlers need this kind of rehearsal and they will feel more confident at your session because of it.t 

Preparing A Toddler For Your Family Session: Keep Your Emotions in Check

This is probably my biggest piece of advice for a successful family session. So many times I have parents text me that they are running late to their session. My immediate response is “Please don’t stress about it!” I always build extra time into my family sessions so that we are not rushed before sunset (this isn’t true for mini sessions). When you stress in the car about being late, your child immediately picks up on the fact that this is a stressful experience. I’d rather have you be late and everyone is positive, than arrive on time and everyone is already stressed. As an adult, do your best to stay calm, positive and upbeat. You’ll be surprised how quickly everyone follows suit. 

Mother with young daughter and son in front of their house

Making Choices

You will notice at your session that I will give your toddler the opportunity to make a lot of choices. This is because it helps empower them and feel like they are working with me. The same can be done at your house before the session. Choose two shirts that you might want your kiddo to wear and give them a choice. That buy-in ahead of time can go a long way! 

Preparing A Toddler For Your Family Session: Think About Rewards

As a parent, I am not a huge advocate of bribes, treats and rewards for good behavior. But when I’m investing in a photo session, you can bet that I pull out all the stops! To me, it’s not a parenting win to stand my ground but have pictures of grumpy kids. When my kids were toddlers, I would bring the bribe with me and I would make sure it was something they REALLY wanted. I would show it to them in the car and let them know they would get it as soon as we were done with the session. If your toddler is two or younger, you may want to be careful with this and instead think about a smaller, incremental reward like M & Ms that you can keep handy and dole out one at a time. 

Young family in front of their house

Your child won’t be a toddler forever and preserving this time is so important. The more effort you put in preparing a toddler for your family session, the more pay-off you will see. We will work closely together to show off all of the joy and love your family has at your session.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my most recent work!

"I am so happy to have had Sharon capture photos of my family. She was so easy to work with, from scheduling to planning and coordinating, she could not have made the process more simple. She showed up on the day-of super prepared, with a whole wagon full of stuff just in case, including snacks for my kids! 

Kim

4 / 15

She worked so well with my children: she truly understands that children are going to get bored fast and she worked around their moods perfectly.

I love that she captured my kids' candid smiles, and not just the posed ones. To top it off, the final product was beyond my expectations and delivered in under a week! You can tell that she loves what she's doing and it shows in her work. She is truly a gem and I can't wait to work with her again as my children grow up!"

"We loved how simple and stress-free our son’s cake smash session was—we didn't need to worry about props or set-up. 

Alexis

When we showed up, Sharon had everything ready for us and we got to just be present in the moment. 

The portraits captured all the sweet little details we want to remember from his first birthday, and we were so happy to share them with our family. It was the perfect way to celebrate this milestone!" 

2 / 15

"Sharon was absolutely lovely to work with. I'm not the type of person who particularly enjoys photoshoots, but she is exceptionally adept at putting her clients at ease. Her studio is equal parts tranquil, tasteful and casual so that my wife and I were not in the least bit overwhelmed.

Kevin

Sharon anticipates every possible need and plans accordingly so that you don't have to. 

She is able to maintain the pace of her shoots, moving them forward judiciously without making the client feel rushed or unappreciated. She was completely down-to-earth and personable. It sounds cliché, but talking with her felt like catching up with an old friend – exactly we needed after the hectic experience of bringing our first child into the world. Sharon was more than worth the cost."

3 / 15

"Sharon was amazing to work with during our recent newborn session! She was very responsive with any questions I had before the session, and even offered advice on outfits for my older children. I borrowed a gorgeous dress from her client closet, which helped me feel more confident and comfortable for photos. 

Amanda

I was nervous about how the session would go with two young children and a newborn, but Sharon had everything so organized and prepared, that everything went flawlessly.

She was so calming and kind, and her studio felt so welcoming! The finished photos are all so beautiful, that I can't even come close to picking a favorite!"

4 / 15

"I was first introduced to Sharon in 2024 when I did a session of personality portraits, and I was instantly impressed. A few friends had used her before and raved about her work, and now I completely understand why! Sharon truly works magic behind the camera. She is incredibly organized, answering all questions and planning every detail ahead of time. 

Merissa

There’s never a need to stress about locations, directions, or even bad weather—she has a backup plan for everything!

One of my favorite parts of working with her is the dress consult to help plan outfits. She has such a great eye for style and helps put together looks that photograph beautifully."

5 / 15

"Sharon and Amy were fabulous! Right from the initial booking they made me feel special. I wore three beautiful dresses that Sharon already had available for me to wear from her client closet (I LOVE this feature!). We tried on several dresses until I found one that fit comfortably and I felt fabulous in.

Nicole

Amy & Sharon were great at communicating with me every step of the process.

Amy didn’t go overboard with the makeup, she made me look like myself but a little extra glam. An elevated version of myself. They were so fabulous and I would absolutely book them again. I 10/10 recommend Sharon and Amy for maternity or family photo sessions."

6 / 15

"Scheduling was super easy through her website and Sharon is very communicative. Sharon offers a dress consultation so you can go to her studio and try on multiple dresses that fit whatever theme you choose for your photo day.

Nicole

I've never seen a photographer offer a whole closet of dresses to choose from and this takes out ALL the stress of picking an outfit for pictures.

Another priceless offering when it comes to taking the stress out of family photos is hair and makeup (additional fee). I scheduled with Amy for a few hours before my shoot. Amy was so easy to talk to and did a fantastic job with the look I wanted. I'm already looking forward to another booking and have referred her to my friends and family. I cannot recommend Sharon and her team more."  
 

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7 / 15

"We recently had our second family session with Sharon and 

Jenna

we were yet again blown away by the entire experience. 

From her expert outfit planning, to making the journey to join us at our beach for photos, Sharon created a relaxed, fun environment from beginning to end. The photos we received were beyond what I could have imagined! She captured our family perfectly!!"

8 / 15

"I recently had the pleasure of working with Sharon for a family beach session, and she was amazing from start to finish! Sharon's attention to detail and professionalism made the entire process seamless. Her empathetic and supportive nature made a world of difference, and the photos turned out beautifully. 

Alexis

I highly recommend Sharon to any mom looking for a talented and compassionate photographer, who takes the stress out of planning.

Her work is exceptional, and she truly cares about her clients. Thank you, Sharon, for capturing these moments for us!"

9 / 15

"Sharon is the absolute best! We worked with her for our maternity photos, newborn photos, and our cake smash one-year-old photos. Each time, Sharon is so professional and friendly, makes us feel right at home, and take the most beautiful photos. We are blown away every time! The client closet is awesome and Sharon really went the extra mile to find gowns that complimented me. 

Jen

We had so much fun taking all of these photos and can’t wait to work with her again!

We will cherish these photos forever."

10 / 15

"We did personality portraits for the second time with Sharon and they came out so well! 

Kelsey

The kids had such a blast and she really captured their unique personalities!"

11 / 15

"We did both our maternity and newborn photos with Sharon and she made each experience beyond amazing. I met Sharon first at our dress consultation and knew we were going to work well together. It’s incredible that she gives you access to some many dresses and really knows how to make a pregnant lady feel beautiful.

She made my husband (who admittedly did not want to take the pictures) feel so comfortable, got him laughing and even looking forward to the newborn shoot.

Then, at the newborn shoot Sharon was so patient with us (it was our first trip out) she again made me feel so beautiful in her huge selection of dresses and was so good and rocking out baby boy to sleep."

Alexa

12 / 15

"Stop reading reviews and just book your session with Sharon Leger Photography right now. Sharon has been there for my family even before we were an official family. She poetically captured our engagement, maternity and our newborn’s first photos.

I couldn’t imagine trusting anyone else with these precious moments.

I am not an easy client. I am nervous, unsure of myself and overly aware of every physical flaw (especially postpartum). Sharon made me feel comfortable and beautiful every step of the way. We love Sharon Leger Photography, especially the woman behind the lens! Thank you for everything, Sharon!"

Dawn

13 / 15

"Sharon is an absolute gem! It has been 3.5 years since I found her and since then she has captured the most adorable and perfect pictures of my two sons and our family.

From newborn sessions, cake smashes and family photos, not one detail has ever been overlooked. Her process is seamless and she makes everything so accessible and easy.

She offers so many options for photo opportunities and has perfected a style that really is timeless! She was so wonderful with each of my children when they were newborns, that it made the experience so worth it! Couldn’t recommend enough!"

Melissa

14 / 15

"It’s hard for me to find the perfect words to describe what Sharon has given me.

I reached out to her when I was thinking about doing maternity photos, and she quickly convinced me that I would not regret it. She was right. Not only do I not regret my maternity photos but I actually love everything about them. Every time I look at them, all of those amazing feelings I felt while I was pregnant come right back as if I’m still in the moment. They are something I will cherish forever."

Kimberly

15 / 15

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