You’re not what you’d call a helicopter parent. You probably came to terms a while ago with the fact that your kids are wild, and there is no controlling them. They’re wonderful and full of life and untameable. If your kids are like mine, the idea of family photos where everyone is starting at the camera smiling nicely is pretty much laughable. Oh, it might happen by accident, but if you try and make it happen, you’ll be entirely unsuccessful. As a Maple Ridge Family Photographer, I come across this often. And it’s totally ok (in fact, it’s my favourite!)

Hey, I’m Kelly! Maple Ridge Family Photographer and Mom to a sassy, spunky four-year-old girl, an affectionate, wild one-year-old boy, eagerly awaiting baby number three to make his or her debut. I believe that coffee is best with chocolate, messy homes are where memories are made, and children should be allowed to jump in mud puddles. I’m personally in the thick of it, so I understand the chaos that reigns in your life. I’m not about taming your wild children, but capturing them in all their crazy glory so when you hang your photos around your home, you’ll remember exactly who they were at this moment in time. 

The truth is, when parents dig down deep, they don’t invest in professional photography just to remember what their kids look like, but rather who they were. The photos that mean the most to us are the ones that capture our children’s personalities so that years down the road we can look back and remember the way they giggled when we chased them, or how they shrieked with delight at being spun around in circles, their wild temperament, the way they snuggled or hugged or kissed. These are the things we’re going to miss and want to hold on to as our kids get older.

No parent wants photos of themselves trying to get their kids to behave while getting increasingly stressed-out. That’s what makes my sessions different. They’re play-based. We move a lot. We jump and dance and sing and flop over in the grass and have tickle fights. Because the best way to draw out smiles in young kids is to give them what they really want: their parent’s time and attention.

I’ve found this to be very true with my own children. I often take my kids out for photos, and find when they’re doing something fun and being interactive, when I’m playing with them, I get natural, easy smiles and the photos I love and treasure most.

If this unposed and natural style of photography is exactly what you’re looking for, learn more on my website and get in touch for your own session!

Looking for more blog posts about family photography or other good tings for you and your kiddos? Check out these posts too!

Lagoon Baby: The Best Baby & Kids Store Around

What to Wear for Professional Photos

Langley Maternity Photography

Mom Burnout: Motherhood Monday