Photographing toddlers outdoors is the way to go- they love nothing more than being active, being able to move and exploring new surroundings. So, my first choice with a toddler (if Michigan weather allows) is to find an outdoor spot where they can enjoy themselves. Even though it was hot and sticky, we found enough shade and breeze to cool off and get some great pictures of Eva, 2 and her sister Naomi, 4. Eva’s parents were a bit worried at first- apparently she’d been on the grumpy side all day, and the first expressions I got were pouts. But she forgot all that outside once she was on the tricycle (thank goodness for a new prop!)-

After the more posed shots of the family are done, I always like to get a few individual images of each child with each parent. Again, photographing toddlers outdoors makes this easy. Dads love to ‘fly’ kids, moms love to cuddle, and ‘swinging’ in between mom and dad is always popular. Movements like these almost always bring out great expressions-

Thanks J. family for braving the sticky weather- you’re so much fun to spend time!

If you’d like outdoor pictures of your toddler or preschooler that allow them to move, explore and  give you genuine expressions, contact me to set up a session. I’m available to come to your home or to meet you at an outdoor location in the Kalamazoo/Portage area, and also travel throughout southwest Michigan.