If you’ve ever had an almost two-year-old, you know they have strong opinions about pretty much everything. And sometimes, family photos are not high on their list of priorities.

This session was one of those days. Little Maddison made it very clear that posing was not her thing. She wanted to explore, run, pick up leaves, and snuggle when she felt like it. So instead of trying to convince her otherwise, we just went with it.

We kept things moving, changed locations, and let her set the pace. No forcing smiles, no pressure, just space for her to be herself. And what came out of that approach was something so much sweeter than anything we could have planned.

The gallery felt more like a little film strip of family life. You can see her tugging on dad, hugging on mom, giggling as she ran toward them, and taking in the world around her. Every image tells a tiny piece of her story and shows this family’s love in such an honest way.

That’s what I want parents to know when they book a session with a toddler. It doesn’t have to go “perfectly.” The goal isn’t to control the outcome, but to capture connection. Sometimes, when we let the day unfold naturally, we end up with photos that feel even more real and meaningful.