As a London children photographer who loves the simplicity of lifestyle images, I love creating emotive, unposed photographs of growing families. These images will become your records to tell and preserve your own unique story, capturing life exactly what it was like at the time.

As lifestyle images are candid and unposed, you don’t have to worry if your children don’t want to sit still during our family session. In fact, I would encourage some movement and interaction to create those warm, authentic moments of connection between your family. As a children’s photographer in London, I understand the importance of capturing the charm and spontaneity of your toddlers which is why a lifestyle approach to family photography works perfectly for them.

To help you make the most of your upcoming session, I have put together some essential tips for photographing toddlers to prepare both you and your little ones for a successful and enjoyable experience. These have served me well as a London children photographer and hope they are helpful to you.

1. Share a little about your family with me

I always offer a complimentary pre-shoot consultation where I aim to find out more about your family, answer any questions, help plan your outfits and also learn more about what your vision for your photographs is. If you have any specific ideas or “must have” images, please do let me know so we can be sure to capture these together. I would also love to hear more about your children’s personality which will help me plan the session more effectively and cater to your family’s needs.

2. Choose the right time and location

Schedule the photoshoot at a time when your toddler is most likely to be alert, happy, and cooperative. This typically means after a nap or meal, avoiding times too close to bedtime. I usually suggest meeting around 10am – we’ll be spending around 60-90 minutes together so this timing tends to work well.

Select a location that is familiar and comfortable for your child, such as your home, or an outdoors location they enjoy. Familiar surroundings will help your toddler feel more at ease during the session. In home sessions are my personal favourite as this is where you spend the most time as a family.

If we decide to head out doors, check out this article suggesting some beautiful London photoshoot locations.

3. Choose clothing they like but that also photographs well

Choose comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing for your toddler. Avoid outfits that are too tight, itchy, or restrictive, as these may cause discomfort and frustration for your child.

The outfit should represent them and their personality, but also keep in mind that more neutral colours, such as cream, blues and soft pastels photograph better than logo / themed t-shirts. Floral patters for girls or stripes for boys always work well. Also take a look at this post with some more general tips on what to wear for your family photoshoot.

4. Be flexible with breaks

As your London children photographer, I won’t keep a time limit on our session together and will always work with your family to ensure everyone stays engaged. Bring along some healthy, mess-free snacks and water to keep your child energized and hydrated. Maybe snack time will become part of photographing toddlers!

Encourage them to run around and play during breaks, so they return to our photoshoot refreshed and ready to engage.

5. Stay positive and supportive

Maintain a positive, encouraging attitude throughout the photoshoot, offering praise and reassurance to your toddler as needed. Your child will pick up on your energy, and a relaxed, supportive atmosphere will help them feel more comfortable and confident in front of the camera.

Likewise, I will also encourage them to take the lead, get involved and play little games together.

6. Be Prepared for the Unexpected

Let’s embrace the unpredictable nature of photographing toddlers! If your child becomes upset or uncooperative, we will simply take a break, and regroup. Remember that sometimes the most authentic and memorable images come from unexpected moments.

7. Trust your photographer

Lastly, trust my expertise and experience. As a London children photographer, I have worked with numerous toddlers and understand how to adapt my approach to suit different children’s personalities. I will also encourage them to take the lead, get involved and play little games together. Often kids quickly forget I am even there and will simply play as they do usually.

In any case, I will work around your family and have various tricks up my sleeve to keep little ones engaged. If I feel something isn’t working, we’ll simply move on to a different shot.

With some preparation, patience, and flexibility, you’ll create lasting memories to cherish for years.

Ready for the next step? Book your session

You might also enjoy reading this post about why you need a motherhood session.

About me

I am a London children photographer specialising in lifestyle family, maternity, baby & toddler, and newborn photography. Photographing toddlers and their families, I cover Central and West London, such as Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, Wandsworth, Battersea, Clapham, Richmond, Westminster, Mayfair and Notting Hill. Please do still get in touch if you live outside of these areas but would be interested in a family photoshoot together. Not quite ready to book? Follow me on Instagram and let’s stay in touch.