Hey, it’s Franklin, and he came to my house! (Huge points if you catch the reference!) 

 

Oh-me, oh-my. What a deliciously chubby boy he was, indeed. It’s no secret by now how much I love a squishy little bubba, and this little man was absolutely scrumptious! 

 

Whenever I meet a little chub like this little man, my brain wanders to a year from now. I imagine (and so truly wish to see) what these little chunks would look like at their cake smash. Their rolly thighs smeared in cake, their chubby cheeks stuffed with icing. Oh, how sweet! 

 

But, let’s not let our minds wander so far into the future that we forget to appreciate and savour the now. When they’re squirmy little newborns, with their little grunts and squeak sounds that only little newbies make when they’re oh-so-small. How they curl up into snuggly positions that have you wishing you could curl up beside them and spend forever listening to their soft breaths and the subtle newborn scent of their skin and hair whisk you away into a world of bliss and just pure joy and love in their truest sense. 

 

Franklin and his wonderful family joined me in the studio for a couple hours where we flowed through the session with ease. It took a wee bit of convincing to get big sister to snuggle down for a pose. But, after some time and a bit of casual toddler conversation, she finally agreed to snuggle down with her brand new baby brother and give me a couple of BIG grins as she beamed with delight over her promotion of becoming a big sister! What fun! 

 

Patience and calmness are key when it comes to working with small children. They can’t be rushed and they simply can not be forced. The trick is to find a way to get them to cooperate by finding a way to have them think it’s entirely their idea to cooperate for a couple of shots. We can’t always aim for perfection in poses, but the raw moments and quick smirks only take a quick second to be captured into a photograph that will last for ages to come. 

 

If you’re bringing a child who is a big sister or brother for the very first time, and they’re in a new environment with weird lights, fuzzy rugs, and a crazy lady looming overhead with a giant camera in their face, stay calm and talk about anything except photos. Talk about their pretty clothes, or how much Grandma and Grandpa love them. Sing their favourite song and tell jokes that you know will make them laugh. Encourage them to whisper a secret in baby’s ear, or to give baby a big wet kiss on their squishy cheek. Laugh about Daddy’s stinky feet, or baby’s funny noises. Distraction at its best and a moment in it’s most genuine nature. Absolutely beautiful! 

 

Kids respond to reactions and vibes, so it’s important you’re emitting the same energy you want them to reflect in their photographs. Trust me, it works. 

 

Anyways, for what it's worth, I've rambled on enough in this evening's blog and stole a little bit of the spotlight away from this gorgeous family and sweet little Franklin! The session was smooth, they were amazing, and Franklin was phenomenal. And I oh-so-hope to see this rolly man in a year for his great big birthday bash cake smash! 

 

Here he is, everyone. Franklin!