It is a common misconception that Toddlers are supposed to be every photographers worst nightmare. Most toddler consults start with, "...And I'm sorry he's two." Parents imagine the worst and build it up so big that they would never EVER dare take their Toddler into my beautiful South Alabama studio for portraits.  Parents just know that Toddlers don't listen to directions. They wiggle all the time. They throw things. They will run away from anything you plan. And yes, Toddlers will drive parents crazy during the portrait shoot.

I have to admit, as a mother of 4 former Toddlers, every bit of that is true. When kids hit two - the excitement of all the entire world opens right up to them and they are off to explore every bit of it - As fast as those tiny legs will take them. And I'm going to say something really LOUD so everyone can hear me, "TODDLERS ARE MY FAVORITE!" And why wouldn't they be? They are wild and full of energy. Their personality is in FULL bloom. They are genuine and natural because it's all they know.  And every session always ends with a big giant hug. There is nothing better.  And sometimes they tell me how pretty I am, and I could listen to that all day.

If you can get past the fear, I truly believe that you could learn to love bringing your toddler into the studio for portraits at Ellenburg Photography with a few very simple adjustments. Here are a few tips from Daphne Ellenburg to get you started:

Most of the frustrations with Toddler portrait sessions is unrealistic expectations. You toddler is NOT going to smile on command. In fact, they are going to give angry eyebrows and that's okay. Famous last words are, "We've been practicing our smile!" This is the age of innocence. Embrace it. Toddlers have a very short attention span. Out studio is set up perfectly for toddlers. We have 11-13 set ups ready to go. Your toddler can explore and we will follow to ensure that you get adorable portraits of your baby. Don't be obsessed with eye contact or the perfect smile. Your baby is a firecracker and Daphne always wins. There will be smiles. I'm not saying you won't have to do an embarrassing new dance for me to get them.

Let them wiggle. I shoot with a really high shutter speed. I'm not afraid of your wiggly Toddler and neither should you. These fun hand gestures and dancing legs are all part of the toddler adventure. Wiggly toddlers are happy toddlers.

Your toddler might not want to sit still or stop running in a circle, but you know what they love? Holding stuff. I will trick your baby into where every you want them to be by holding a bear or a tiny prop that yes, they might throw on the floor. And that's ok. Holding things is the art of distraction and I am a master. I always have a few tricks up my sleeve. 

You have already set yourself up with the fear, but planning beats fear every time. Don't schedule your portrait shoot at nap time. This is a no brainer, but I'm going to ask about nap time every time anyway. Bring a NON-CHOCOLATE snack - again, seems simple but kids love chocolate and they will try to trick you every time. Think Cheerios or Teddy Grahams. Easy boring colors that will not ruin a good outfit. Bring 3-4 outfits. Dress your baby at our cozy Saraland Alabama portrait studio. Don't worry about shoes, they don't want to wear them anyway. If you think you need it, bring it. Better to over plan so you can sit back and relax.

Mom and Dad, you will have to chase your baby around a bit and we will try the same thing a few times until we get the right LOOK for your portrait. Don't stress. It's all part of the process. If you relax, they relax. If you lose your temper, they will have a melt down. When we have it, we move to the next station and do it all over again. Sometimes we get it really fast, sometimes it takes a few tries. It's all completely normal in Toddler world. We're going to laugh. We're going to dance. It's going to get silly. And YES, I'm going to ask you to be in some portraits. Every portrait you purchase over the course of your entire life will one day go to that baby. Wouldn't it be nice if you were in some of them? You only have a few years of these delicious toddler moments. Enjoy them. Littleness is a treasure.

Winning at Toddler portraits is easy with Daphne Ellenburg's help. Ellenburg Photography has been producing amazing portraits of toddlers for over eleven years. Don't let the Toddler years be the forgotten years from your portrait collections. Do you have a Toddler missing from family portraits? We can help.

Daphne Ellenburg is the owner of a bustling Portrait photography business called Ellenburg Photography located in Southern Alabama. Daphne has a supportive family and a fancy-pants 2000 sq ft studio in the heart of Saraland, Alabama. She loves college football, big handbags, lip gloss and all things Apple. She also enjoys writing about her Photo-Adventures and her entertaining family. Daphne is a proud member of PPA, WPPI, and the local chamber. Catch up with her at EllenburgPhotography.com or email her at daphne@ellenburgphotography.com. 
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