Have you ever wondered what to do if your child simply will not cooperate for a photo shoot?
The Struggle
Meet Evie! This little girly would not give us the time of day for her one year old, smash cake photo shoot... Mom, Dad, Grandma, Step-Grandma, Grandpa, Me... Nothing worked. She would either scream out of what seemed like complete fear, or she would just crawl away like the cake didn't even exist. We started out with a backdrop and props, but we eventually had to move outside. We tried bribes such as YouTube videos, picking her up and holding her, and even mulch from the flower bed. Yes, mulch... She loved it, so we stuck some into the cake (plus some leaves for extra flavor) just to get her to touch it. However, this did not help. This went on for a good while, and normally this would have been a determining factor for a "bad session."
The Solution
I finally decided to just let Evie do what she wanted. She was happy when she was doing her own thing and going at her own pace. Like I said, we started out with a backdrop and props. However, we made our way outside and literally just moved things around as Evie moved around. She enjoyed this so much more than being forced to sit in one spot and play with a cake. Sometimes sessions are like that. Not all sessions are created equal! Being a photographer means that you have to deal with people of all different ages, personalities, styles, backgrounds, etc. You have to adapt to the unique situations that come with each session. Make the session fun, be understanding, and capture the best photos that you can. In my experience, most people will be just fine with problem solving during a session as long as you handle it with grace. This session of Evie turned out to be a great one with some extremely cute photos of a happy little girl. That's what being a photographer is about.
The Result