This year, I learned that I love taking photos of babies and toddlers! At first, I was nervous since getting a photo of a smiling baby seemed like a difficult task. But, I gave it a shot, and honestly, when I stopped trying to pose them, the photos started coming out so much better! Letting them squirm and do their thing made for some really adorable pictures that captured their personalities just as they are.  Fortunately, letting them do their thing made for some spectacularly adorable and funny faces!

The Orangutan

I have learned some tips and tricks to get them to smile. In my first session with an 8 month old baby, I asked the parents to bring a bribe. They brought a puppet orangutan. This worked like a charm! The baby was smiling the entire session and was looking directly into the camera. It couldn’t have been more perfect! Since it worked so well, the parents gifted me my own puppet orangutan which has come in handy more than once!

A family in coordinating blue and white outfits shares a joyful moment together by a lake on an overcast day.
A parent and baby share a joyful moment together by a lake on an overcast day.
A small child in denim overalls holds hands with adults while standing on grass.
A parent and child share a tender moment by a scenic lake under cloudy skies.
A family shares a tender moment together by a lake on an overcast day.
A parent and child share a joyful moment together by a lake on an overcast day.
A baby in a light blue outfit being held by someone wearing a white shirt against a blurry background.
A playful moment captured between an adult and child on grassy waterfront area.
A family stands together by a lake on an overcast day, with trees visible in the background.
A happy family stands together by a lake on an overcast day, with water and trees visible in the background.
A parent lifts a small child in the air while playing together by a scenic lake under cloudy skies.
A person in a white shirt holds a small child by a lake on an overcast day.
A parent and child share a joyful moment together by a lake on an overcast day.
A tender moment captured by a lake as a person in a pink dress lifts a small child playfully into the air.
A parent holds a joyful baby near a serene lake on an overcast day.
A playful moment by the lake as a person lifts a small child into the air against a cloudy sky.
A family of three poses together outdoors by a lake on a cloudy day, with hills visible in the background.
A joyful moment between parent and child playing by a scenic lake on an overcast day.
01 / 18

Bribes

Another thing that helps, like I previously mentioned, are bribes. What works best is for you to decide. I usually recommend toys, noise makers, or visual cues for the very little ones. But, as kids get older and gain a bit more understanding of “if I do this, I will get this reward,” candy, a favorite snack, a special activity, and privileges work wonders. What worked for my friend Otto was making silly noises. We tried every visual cue we could think of, but he was more intrigued by funny noises. You know your kiddos best, so pick something you know will grab their attention. 

An adult and baby stand together on a lawn with lush green foliage in the background during summer.
A tender moment captured outdoors as a parent holds and kisses a baby against a lush green garden background.
Family enjoying a spring day together in a meadow of dandelions with trees in the background.
A parent and child share a joyful moment together outdoors in a lush green garden setting during golden hour.
A family sits together on grass in a sunlit meadow during golden hour with trees in the background.
A parent and baby sit together on grass in a sunlit meadow during golden hour.
A couple playfully holds their baby upside down in a sunny meadow at sunset.
A tender moment captured between parent and child playing outdoors in natural lighting.
Adult in a baseball cap and burgundy shirt holds a baby wearing checkered shorts outdoors in a garden setting.
A family sits together on grass during golden hour in a summer field with tall grass in the background.
A person lifts a small child high into the air in a grassy field at dusk with pine trees in the background.
A tender moment between parent and baby outdoors, with the parent wearing a burgundy shirt and navy baseball cap.
A joyful moment captured outdoors in a meadow as a parent lifts a laughing baby up in the air at sunset.
01 / 13

Cake Smash

Another type of baby session I got to try out this year was a Cake Smash session! This was super fun because we did a little family shoot before pulling out the cake. She was a little shy at first, but when mom and dad showed her she could push her hands into the cake and get messy, she took the cue and began fingerpainting my backdrop with the frosting! She made some fantastic faces during this session, some of my favorites are below!

A joyful baby reaches up with one hand while wearing a rainbow-colored shirt in a dimly lit room.
Sweet toddler in a bright yellow ruffled dress poses for a portrait against a brown backdrop.
A rainbow-colored birthday cake sits on a wooden box next to a small child wearing a paper crown and white outfit.
A colorful rainbow-layered birthday cake sits on a table next to a joyful baby wearing a paper crown and white onesie.
A joyful celebration with a rainbow-colored birthday cake and a small partygoer wearing a paper crown.
A rainbow-colored birthday cake sits beside a small child wearing a glittery crown and white onesie.
Baby wearing a birthday crown sits excitedly next to a colorful rainbow-frosted birthday cake on a brown backdrop.
A small child wearing a rainbow-themed birthday crown and shirt raises their hands in celebration against a brown background.
Small child wearing a birthday crown reaches toward a colorful rainbow smash cake during their first birthday celebration.
A small child wearing a paper crown sits by a colorful rainbow smash cake during a first birthday photoshoot.
A small child wearing a white onesie and decorative crown sits beside a messy smashed cake during a cake smash photo session.
A baby in white clothing sits on the floor during a cake smash photo session with pink and white frosting scattered around.
A joyful parent playfully holds a child upside down, both wearing casual attire against a neutral brown backdrop.
01 / 14

I learned a lot this year in terms of taking portraits of babies and toddlers. The number 1 thing I learned is that I cannot try to force babies to do anything, I just need to let them show off their own personalities. My job is just to capture them in their true essence. Below are some of my favorite baby faces from this year! 

A family sits together on hay bales surrounded by pumpkins during an autumn outdoor photo session.
A joyful child wearing a blue knit hat and polka dot shirt smiles brightly against a brown background.
Three people crouching together outdoors in front of green foliage on a sunny day for Family Photo Session
A young child with curly hair wearing a light blue polka dot shirt poses against a neutral background.
Two people pose together in front of blooming sunflowers on a sunny summer day.
A happy parent holds a young child wearing a navy blue shirt at an outdoor gathering.
A small child wearing a blue polka dot shirt and knit beanie gazes upward with an inquisitive expression.
A joyful embrace between two people in front of tall sunflower stalks on a sunny summer day.
A person lifts a small child high into the air while standing in a grassy field at dusk with pine trees in the background.
A family of four sits together on hay bales outdoors during autumn with greenery and fall foliage in the background.
A family stands together smiling by a lake on an overcast day with water and trees visible in the background.
A joyful moment in a sunflower field as a parent lifts a small child wearing a yellow dress against the bright blooms.
A small child wearing a paper crown sits beside a colorful rainbow-layered cake on a brown backdrop.
A joyful child wearing a denim shirt and khaki pants plays energetically at a colorful playground.
A joyful moment captured in a vibrant sunflower field on a summer evening.
A toddler in a blue "Live Love" bib sits in a stroller outdoors on a sunny day.
A young child wearing a straw hat and blue zip-up jacket smiles joyfully against a brown backdrop.
A parent and baby play together in a grassy meadow at sunset, sharing a joyful moment outdoors.
A cheerful moment in a vibrant sunflower field with a plush toy orangutan on a sunny summer day.
Joyful toddler wearing a blue zip-up hoodie and light colored shirt laughs while playing against brown background.
A joyful moment captured in front of a vibrant field of tall sunflowers on a summer day.
A heartwarming moment between two people standing in a vibrant field of tall sunflowers on a sunny day.
Young child with curly dark hair wearing a denim shirt looking over their shoulder with a serious expression.
A small child wearing a birthday crown and rainbow-themed "one" shirt raises their hands in celebration against a brown background.
A family sits together on grass during golden hour in a summer meadow with wildflowers in the background.
Young child in denim button-up shirt smiles joyfully while playing outdoors.
A happy family of three smiles together while posing near a lake on a cloudy day.
Smiling child wearing denim shirt sits at top of green playground slide on dirt ground.
A parent and child share a joyful moment while sitting in a camping chair outdoors on a sunny day.
A small child in white attire sits on a brown backdrop with smashed cake and frosting scattered around.
Young child in a blue shirt eating a snack while sitting in a car seat on a sunny day.
Two people pose together in front of a vibrant field of blooming sunflowers on a summer day.
Two children sit on hay bales holding orange pumpkins in an autumn garden setting with green pillows.
A joyful toddler wearing a blue polka dot shirt and knit hat poses against a brown backdrop.
A family poses together in front of a vibrant field of blooming sunflowers on a sunny day.
A family shares a tender moment together by a lake on an overcast day, with water and trees visible in the background.
Young child in a blue shirt with striking bright blue eyes looking at the camera.
A heartwarming moment in a vibrant sunflower field on a summer day.
A joyful moment captured outdoors as they share laughter and embrace in the warm sunlight.
Young child wearing a blue and white patterned shirt raises arms joyfully while laughing against brown background.
01 / 40