One of my favorite places to take photos is at North Mountain Nature Park in Ashland, Oregon. There is a cute old barn, open grass fields and plenty of vegetation and flowers that change all year, depending on the season. My favorite thing about this particular location is the amazing light! There always seems to be this pretty, soft, filtered light, no matter the time of year.
On this particular day I got to photograph the Matteson family. The have two adorable little girls. With the oldest being three years old, you never know what you will get. Some three year-olds love the camera and others want nothing to do with having their photo taken. Most of the time, they just want to make funny faces. This little one made some pretty cute, funny faces, which I think is sweet and a captures a great memory of that particular time in their life.
If you are planning on having a photos taken with children under the age of 5, here are some helpful tips for preparing for your session-
1. Give them a few outfit options, and have them choose what they want to wear. This way they already feel more comfortable.
2. Bring backup clothing- you never know what will happen on the drive over:)
3. Pack some snacks and water for them- a 1 hour session is a long time for a child this young.
4. Bring a coupe of toys, like a small one that squeaks- it can help them look up towards the camera when they hear it to capture a smile.
5. Don't expect little ones to "pose" and be ready for some silly faces from the 3/4 year olds, or camera shyness. When I photograph children this young, we can try poses if they seem to be up for it. If not, cuddle or play time is on, and I capture more candid moments. Just remember that a photo is meant to capture an authentic moment and memory in time:)
6. Bring wet wipes! Their faces will get dirty somehow:)
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