What If My Toddler Won't Sit Still for Pictures?

That's okay. Truly. Toddlers aren't supposed to sit still, and the best toddler portraits almost never come from a child who has been told to. In our Greenville studio, we plan for wiggles, tears, and new-place nerves. We give your little one time to relax and have fun, because when they're having fun, their real expressions show up. Most children's sessions last 30 to 60 minutes, and we never rush the warm-up.

We hear this worry all the time

Moms call us and say things like, "My son is wild," or "She just started daycare and she's fussy anywhere new." Some apologize for their child before they've even walked through the door.

We get it. We're parents too. A toddler who runs, hides, or cries isn't ruining anything. They're being two. Our job is to make the studio feel safe and fun, so your child can relax. And honestly, so you can relax too.

It starts on the floor, not in the camera room

We don't head straight for the camera. First, we spend a few minutes talking with you. Then Becky gets down on the floor, at your child's level, and chats with them for 5 to 10 minutes. She asks about a favorite toy or a favorite movie, whatever lights them up.

By the time we walk into the camera room, we aren't strangers anymore. We're the grown-ups who already know what they love.

Our secret weapons: an apple and a bird named Rufus

Every studio has tricks. Ours are a little silly, and they work.

The apple. Alex balances an apple on his head and lets your toddler blow it off. It falls. They laugh. Then they want to do it again. This one goes all the way back to Alex's dad, Phil, who started it when he opened Phil Hyman Portraits 54 years ago. Kids have been knocking apples off a Hyman head for a very long time.

Rufus. Rufus is a fuzzy orange bird puppet who has been part of our studio for years. He squeaks. And every so often, he sneaks down and tickles a few toes. It's very hard to stay grumpy when a bird is tickling your feet.

Why we never ask your child to sit still or say "cheese"

We play games, tell stories, and let your child be exactly who they are. Then we capture their expressions as they happen.

When no one is saying "smile" or coaching them on what to do, a child's true personality comes through. That's also why we ask parents to stay out of sight and out of earshot during the session. You aren't doing anything wrong. Even a loving "look at the camera, buddy!" pulls their attention away from the fun and back toward you.

And if your toddler won't let go of you? That's fine too. We bring you into the session to help, and little by little, your child separates on their own, at their own pace.

What if my child cries the whole time?

Sometimes they do, at least at first. We once photographed a three-year-old girl who was not happy for the first 25 minutes of her session. We stayed patient and kept working with her.

Then Becky brought out a music box. The little girl leaned in, started playing with it, and started playing with Becky. Everything changed. When her mom saw the portraits at her Design Reveal, she was blown away by the expressions and smiles we captured.

Patience is part of every children's session we do. A slow start doesn't mean a bad session.

When we'd rather try another day

Sometimes a child isn't just fussy. They don't feel well, or they've simply had enough. When we see that, we reschedule for a different week, at no cost to your family.

We never want to push a child to the point where portrait day becomes a bad memory, for them or for you. Our goal is to make this as easy as possible for parents.

The short version

It will be okay. It will be fun and relaxing, and we'll walk you through everything.

If you've been putting off children's portraits because your little one is a whirlwind, let's talk. Start with a Discovery Call, tell us about your child, and we'll plan a session around who they are right now.