There are a few things I’ve learned after photographing families for a very long time.
Kids do not care about our plans.
Toddlers can sense desperation.
And the snack is never just one Goldfish.
I know bringing snacks to family photos sounds like a brilliant idea. Your child gets hungry, you hand them a quick snack, everyone is happy, and we move right along.
Except that is almost never how the snack situation actually plays out.
And that is why one of my slightly controversial family session recommendations is this:
Please skip the snacks during your session
Let me explain.
The Snack Is Never Just One Goldfish
You know how this goes.
You offer one Goldfish.
They would now like seventeen Goldfish.
You put the bag away.
They have suddenly experienced the greatest betrayal of their young life.
Two minutes ago, we had a perfectly happy toddler running around and playing with Mom and Dad. Now we have a toddler who knows there is an entire bag of crackers hiding somewhere and cannot understand why the adults have decided to withhold them.
At that point, we're no longer taking family photos.
We're negotiating.
And toddlers are notoriously tough negotiators.
Then There Are the Crumbs
Even when the snack handoff goes beautifully, we now have to deal with the evidence.
Crumbs on shirts.
Crumbs on faces.
Food in mouths.
Sticky fingers.
Something mysteriously smeared across Dad's pants even though Dad never actually touched the snack.
And because I photograph families interacting, snuggling, playing and moving together, those little sticky hands tend to travel.
Quickly.
Food in Mouths and Family Photos Don't Mix
This one seems obvious until you're standing in front of me wondering why your child suddenly won't smile.
Because their mouth is full of pretzels.
Or Goldfish.
Or fruit snacks.
Or some mystery snack that apparently requires 47 minutes of chewing.
If we're constantly stopping for bites, chewing, wiping faces and checking teeth, we lose the natural rhythm of the session and I will keep the session going and continue shooting. And no this will not just be "edited out" :)
I'd much rather keep your child engaged with your family than introduce something that pulls their attention completely away from what we're doing.
The Bigger Problem Is When the Snack Goes Away
Honestly, crumbs are fixable.
This is the part I care about most.
Once a snack appears, some kids are completely done with everything else.
They don't want to play.
They don't want to snuggle Mom.
They don't care about my ridiculous noises.
They want the snack.
And when the snack gets put away so we can continue?
Meltdown.
Not always, obviously.
But often enough that I've learned it is usually better not to introduce food during the session in the first place.
(unless of course your kid has hypoglycemia!)
But What If My Child Needs a Break?
Absolutely.
We can take one.
Kids are not expected to perform for me for 30 or 60 minutes straight.
They can explore. They can sit with you. They can have a minute. They can be silly.
They can decide they want absolutely nothing to do with me for five minutes.
All of that is normal.
I would much rather give your child a little space to reset than immediately reach for snacks as a distraction.
Family sessions are designed around kids being kids.
I don't expect perfect behavior, constant smiles or anyone to follow directions for the entire session.
Especially the two-year-old.
The two-year-old is basically in charge.
What Should You Do Instead?
My favorite plan is simple:
Make sure everyone has eaten before the session.
Bring water if you need it.
And unless there is a medical or dietary reason your child needs food during our time together,
leave the snacks tucked away until we're finished.
If you absolutely need to have something with you, keep it hidden.
And I mean hidden.
Toddlers have snack radar.
I Promise I'm Not Trying to Starve Your Children
This isn't about having a bunch of unnecessary rules for family photos.
It's about removing one more thing that can derail a session.
I want your kids focused on playing with you, exploring, being silly
and eventually forgetting that we're even taking pictures.
That's when I get the good stuff.
The belly laughs. The little hands wrapped around your neck. The ridiculous sibling moments. The expressions that actually look like your kids instead of the smile they make when someone tells them to say cheese.
So feed them before you come.
We'll take breaks when we need them.
And save the Goldfish for the car ride home.
Trust me on this one.
Summer Brader Photography offers relaxed, connection-focused family photography sessions in Downers Grove and throughout Chicago's western suburbs, with plenty of room for kids to be exactly who they are.
