Get a Baby to Smile in Pandemic Photos While Wearing a Mask?! {Logan Square/Avondale Chicago Family Photo Session}

My usual tricks don’t work in a pandemic for getting littles to smile or laugh! I rely so much on facial expressions, games and tickling while photographing kids but that doesn’t work when my face is covered and I can’t get close enough to play. It’s been a challenging year in every aspect for all of us, so this seems trivial in the grand scheme of things. And I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I do still appreciate a child’s natural expression over a forced smile anyway.

Miss O was not impressed with any of my antics! Peek-a-boo and her favorite songs weren’t working. Then again, she wasn’t falling for any of it from her parents or grandma either! I got lucky for a few photos with their help but most of the time, she really showed her disdain for having to perform in front of a camera! And we all laughed a lot! Her dad said he was so proud of her for not giving in ;P We think she may have started teething that day and just wasn’t feeling the smiles. Of course, Murphy’s Law. And it’s 2020. What can go wrong, will go wrong. Still, a lot of the mean-mugs and so-over-it photos were priceless gems for her family and they really make me smile!

We took some photos on their porch and then took a stroll through their neighborhood during the peak fall colors on a gorgeous afternoon here in Chicago. I had so much fun trying to get this girl to giggle, even though I worked up a sweat like it was a hot summer day!

Much love, friends!

A Birthday Parade in a Pandemic {Chicago Birthday Photographer}

Turning three is a big deal! It’s usually when kids start to get excited about and understand their birthdays, and looking forward to birthday parties. Miss E turned three in a pandemic and instead of a birthday party this year, she got a birthday parade! And it was dinosaur themed, which made me smile so much, especially in the photos where she’s pretending to be a dinosaur! This girl is so full of joy and life and I want to carry her around in my pocket to have her sunshine with me all the time!

I think birthday parades might be one of the best things to come out of 2020! Humans: making the most out of whatever life throws at us.

Everyday Life - Lockdown Style Family Photo Session

This lockdown life has been good for me in terms of photography and getting creative! Since I’m not able to get close to people physically when I’m photographing these days, it’s harder to pose and give direction. Especially when really small children are involved. SO… I’ve been documenting more lifestyle/real-life and going back to the roots of what made me fall in love with portrait photography!

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy taking a nice family photo with everyone looking at the camera. That’s what parents want, usually, and I also appreciate those types of photos with my own family as well. But, what makes my heart soar the most is when I take a bit of a fly-on-the-wall approach. When people forget that I’m even there, that’s when I make some of my most favorite photos I ever take. They show genuine emotions & reactions. They’re not “too posed” or stiff. People let their guards down. They’re too busy just being themselves and not worrying about how they might look on camera. Typically, this is pretty easy to do with kids in general because they aren’t as self-conscious about how they look and their attention spans are shorter so they forget I’m there quicker! ;)

If you’re photographing your own kids at home these days, try this approach instead of asking them to smile! They’ll appreciate it and you’ll hopefully love those in-the-moment photos even more. Time goes by so quickly, let’s document real moments in real life.

Stay safe, friends.