10 Tips for Getting Great Photos with Kids (From a Naperville Family Photographer)
Can I tell you the thing I say to almost every family before we start shooting?
"Your kids do not need to be perfect. And neither do you."
I mean it every single time. Because the families who walk into a session trying to get everyone to behave perfectly are usually the ones who end up with the most stiff, least-them photos. And the families who show up, let the kids be kids, and just trust the process? Those are the sessions I can't stop thinking about for days.
I've been photographing families in Naperville for years and I have seen every possible version of a family session. The toddler who ran the wrong direction every single time. The seven-year-old who decided mid-session that she was done. The baby who screamed through the first twenty minutes and then fell asleep in the most angelic way imaginable.
All of those sessions produced images families genuinely love. Here's how.
Tip 1: Schedule Around Nap Times and Snack Times
This one sounds so obvious and yet it is the thing families most often skip.
A well-rested, recently fed child is a completely different human than a tired, hungry one. We talk about this on your prep call because timing your session around your kids' best window of the day makes a bigger difference than almost anything else.
For toddlers especially... know your kid. If they're a morning person, let's shoot in the morning. If they come alive after their afternoon nap, let's work with that. There's no "right" time of day for a session that matters more than your kid's natural rhythm.
Tip 2: Let Them Be Kids
This is the one I feel most strongly about.
The best family photos are almost never the ones where everyone is perfectly still and perfectly posed. They're the ones where your daughter is spinning in her dress. Where your son is chasing a butterfly across the field. Where your toddler is doing that thing where they run with their whole body leaning forward like they might tip over at any second.
I'm always watching for those moments. That's actually most of what I'm doing while you think I'm setting up a shot. The candid in-between moments are where the real magic lives and I will never stop chasing them.
Tip 3: Bring a Secret Weapon
Every family should have one. Mine for your kid specifically.
Bubbles are magic for toddlers and I will stand by this forever. A favorite small toy tucked in a bag. Snacks they only get on special occasions. A silly song only your family knows. Whatever makes your kid light up... bring it.
We're not above bribery. We're just strategic about it. A well-timed snack break can completely reset the energy of a session and I have used this more times than I can count.
Tip 4: Don't Threaten or Bribe Before You Arrive
Okay this one is important so stay with me.
"If you behave for the photographer you can get ice cream after" sounds like a good idea. It is not a good idea.
What that does is prime your child to think about the session as something to endure for a reward rather than something that might actually be fun. They arrive already thinking about ice cream and already negotiating in their head.
Save the ice cream. Surprise them with it afterward. Let them walk into the session with no agenda and no performance anxiety. The difference is real.
Tip 5: Wear Play-Friendly Clothes They Won't Fuss About
If your kid is uncomfortable in their outfit they will let everyone know. Constantly.
Stiff dress shoes that pinch. A collar that scratches. A dress so fancy they're afraid to sit in the grass. These are session killers and they're completely avoidable.
Coordinating doesn't mean matching and it doesn't mean formal. Soft fabrics, comfortable shoes, clothes they can actually move in. We talk through outfit options on your prep call and I'll give you specific guidance, but the general rule is: if they won't wear it on a regular Tuesday without complaining, don't put them in it for photos.
Tip 6: Trust Your Photographer to Handle the Chaos
This is the one where I need you to really hear me.
Your job on session day is not to manage your kids. It's to be present with them.
I've got the chaos. I know how to redirect a toddler who's headed the wrong direction. I know how to make a reluctant seven-year-old laugh without forcing it. I know when to push and when to back off and when to just let something unfold and capture it exactly as it is.
The more you try to control the session, the more stressed your kids pick up on that energy. Take a breath. Let me handle it. That's literally what you hired me for.
Tip 7: Outdoor Sessions Work Better for Young Kids
There's a reason Ten Little Bluebirds sessions are almost always outdoors.
Kids relax outside. They have somewhere to run, something to look at, space to move around in. A studio with lights and equipment is interesting for about four minutes before a toddler starts trying to knock things over.
Naperville has incredible outdoor locations for family sessions... the Riverwalk, Knoch Knolls, downtown, open parks with gorgeous golden hour light. Being outside in a place that feels familiar and fun changes everything about how kids show up in photos.
Tip 8: Expect Meltdowns and Roll With Them
Here's something I tell every family and I really mean it.
Meltdowns happen. Especially with toddlers. Especially toward the end of a session when everyone is a little tired. This is not a sign that the session is ruined. This is not a sign that we failed.
Some of my favorite images come right after a meltdown. The mom who pulled her crying toddler into her lap and just held him while he calmed down. The dad who got down on the ground and made the most ridiculous face until his daughter started giggling through her tears. Those moments are real and they're beautiful and I'm always ready for them.
Roll with it. I will too.
Tip 9: Keep It Short for Very Young Children
For babies and toddlers under three, shorter is almost always better.
A ninety-minute session sounds like a good idea until you're forty-five minutes in and your two-year-old has hit their limit. I'd rather have forty-five incredible minutes than ninety exhausting ones.
We talk about session length on your prep call based on your kids' ages and temperaments. For very young children I'll always recommend building in buffer time and keeping expectations realistic. We can get everything we need in less time than you think.
Tip 10: The "Imperfect" Photos Are the Ones You'll Love Most in Ten Years
I saved this one for last because it's the most important thing I know about family photography after years of doing this work.
The image where your toddler was mid-sneeze and everyone was laughing. The one where your son had grass stains on his knees from running. The one where your daughter's hair was flying everywhere because she wouldn't stop spinning.
Those are the ones you'll pull up in ten years and feel everything. Not the perfectly posed one where everyone was still and smiling just right. The messy, real, this-is-actually-us one.
I'm always going for that one. Let me.
Book a Family Session That Feels Nothing Like a Stiff Photo Shoot
Ten Little Bluebirds Photography specializes in outdoor family sessions at beautiful locations in Naperville, Illinois. Relaxed, directed, and designed to capture your family exactly as you actually are.
Chaos welcome.
Ten Little Bluebirds Photography | Naperville, IL