Ithaca family photographer that embraces all personalities!
Hey there!
It's been a while since I've posted a new blog here at Reed Photography, so today I wanted to talk about the most common concern clients have when booking a session. And that concern is how their child will interact (or lack thereof) when arriving at their session. Some kids like to hide behind mom's leg, while other kids like to run around and burn off energy, that is totally normal! And I'm a pro at handling both.
Before fully committing to photography full-time, I worked with children in a school setting for almost 9 years. (7 years in a pre-school setting and 1 1/2 years in middle school.) So, trust me when I say, "I've seen it all." I've worked with shy students, over the top students and everyone in between, including students with disabilities and extreme behavior from ages 3 -12 years old. This past work experience has given me the ability to be extremely flexible and accommodating to every child that comes to my sessions.
To be honest, I LOVE the energetic kids who have been driving mom nuts all morning the most. Why? Because I can feed off their energy and make the session a ton of fun. But don't worry, I don't let them just go wild the entire time. I'm a pro a wrangling the free spirited and harnessing their energy so that you can get the pictures you've always wanted without having to feel stressed. All you have to do is show up and smile, I'll handle the kids. :)
And on the other end of the spectrum, I am also extremely patient and gentle when working with kiddos who might be feeling nervous or shy. I know that just telling them to smile or say cheese isn't going to be enough. Often times I'll ask if they want to choose where we take the pictures or if they want just the adults to go first. This allows the child to make decisions that they are comfortable with and will hopefully get them to open up a bit. I also like to make silly faces or offer them treasures found in nature (flowers, sea glass, shiny rocks, etc.) to help make them laugh or get excited. And if all your child does is snuggle into your arms or leg, don't worry. I can still capture a lot of really great tender moments that you are sure to love.
My goal is to make your session with me so fun and relaxing (even with energetic or shy kids) that you just have to tell everyone about how great it was. No family or session is "perfect", despite what might be shown on social media. You deserve to have family pictures and pictures of your kids that you can cherish forever. Don't let the fear of how they might act stop you from getting the pictures you've always wanted. Trust me when I say, "This family photographer can handle them all!"
