📸 From Peanut Butter Keys to Perfect Portraits: Why I Love Working with Kids (Even the Tricky Ones)

Before I ever picked up a camera, I was chasing toddlers who thought my car keys belonged in the peanut butter jar. Yes—literally. I once spent two days searching for my keys, only to find them buried deep in a peanut butter dish, thoughtfully smeared for good measure. My children were experts at mischief. My phone? Hidden in a heater vent. My sanity? A little questionable some days. And if a stranger so much as looked at them? Full-blown meltdown.

When we moved to Valdez, Alaska—with very little family nearby—it was just me and the kids while my husband worked long hours. I had to learn quickly how to handle their big feelings, endless energy, and wonderfully wild imaginations. Some days, that meant redirecting spontaneous karate kicks. Other days, it meant calmly discouraging them from trying to ride black bears like ponies. It wasn’t always easy, but over time, I got really good at it. And somewhere in the beautiful chaos, I realized—I genuinely loved it.

So when a parent nervously whispers, “They’re not usually like this” during a photo session—I smile. Because I get it.

Working with children, especially the energetic, shy, or adorably chaotic ones, is not just something I’m comfortable with. It’s one of my superpowers.

Over the years, I’ve learned that the best photos come when kids are allowed to be themselves—whether that means giving them space to warm up, turning our session into a silly game, or taking a snack break and chatting about dinosaurs. I’ve got the patience of a parent who's fished goldfish out of car seat nooks and crannies and the instincts of someone who can spot a giggle three frames before it happens.

So, if you're worried your child won’t sit still, won’t smile, or might do something hilariously unpredictable—I say, let’s roll with it. Those are the moments that become the real memories.

Your family doesn't need to be perfect. You just need to show up as yourselves—and I’ll handle the rest.