This post is sponsored by Carter’s; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Now that we’re officially in November, I’m not afraid to say it — BRING.ON.CHRISTMAS. In my house, the Christmas PJs are coming out as well as the Christmas music! I’ll save the decorating and cookies for after Thanksgiving, but until then, I’m gearing up.

Something I enjoy accomplishing before the season’s chaos is taking photos of my cuties outside while the weather is decent. Each season, I purchase one ‘seasonal’ shirt or outfit and take my kids out to capture their personalities and have some updated photos for their albums.

Since the holidays tend to be pretty cold here in Michigan, I decided to take advantage of the nice weather the other day and bring some Christmas into our fall scenery 🙂

I often get asked how I get my little guy to smile so well for photos. While I’m no professional photographer, being on kid #3 has taught me a TON about photographing toddlers. They can be tough to capture, but when you get a great shot? It’s priceless!

Below I’ve included 7 rules we live by in this house.

7 tips for photographing toddlers:

1. Choose your time of day wisely. Personally, I find mornings to be best for toddlers. Any other time can be questionable with mealtimes, naps or bedtime looming. Believe me when I say a hangry subject is not a good subject 😉

2. Aim for your session to be no longer than 15 minutes. They can’t last through multiple poses or locations – period. Be realistic with yourself…Toddlers aren’t meant to sit still!

3. Give them a prop to hold. Truly, this is key in this house. Want them to sit? Surprise them with something to hold. Mini pumpkin, pinecones, Christmas bulbs, etc. Having something to hold will keep them distracted and excited for a moment while you click away.

4. Bribery. Let’s be real…Bribery can work for a lot of things. Photos are a solid reason to use it! Mini marshmallows are my favorite tool because they don’t melt and are easy to carry around.

5. If you have multiple set-ups, choose your favorite first. If you nab a few cute shots, move along. Don’t spend a ton of time perfecting the shot because you may lose your chance for other great photos if your little one starts to lose stamina. Photos may not be perfect, but the point is to capture who they are, right? Let them do their thing while you click.

6. Bring another child along. Never fails, other kids get my kids smiling TONS more than me. I love taking my oldest along to photo sessions because toddlers love smiling at her. I just have her stand behind me while I shoot and she works her magic.

Case in point, this shot:

7. Choose your wardrobe wisely. Having simple patterns or solids that match the season go over well with photos. Think about the textures your children like and don’t go out of their “norm” {i.e. my girls can’t stand fluffy dresses, so why torture them?}.

In fact, we love holiday pajama photos here because fun jams are something my kids can always get behind!

Personally, I love shopping for items at Carter’s because I can usually find coordinating items for all three of my littles or for the itty bitties in my life {their baby clothes are so darling!}.

Carter’s truly is the one-stop holiday dressing destination – whether it’s for comfy PJs, sparkly dresses, or festive sweaters. They have it all at an affordable price that doesn’t sacrifice quality.

Black Friday Sweepstakes & Giving Tuesday

Stop into your Carter’s store on Black Friday and get the chance to win — the first 100 people to arrive will be awarded with promo cards. Check your nearest location to confirm what date the sweepstakes will be held.

COUPON

If you choose to shop Carter’s this holiday season, make sure you use a coupon! All you have to do is pull this up on your phone and your cashier can scan it.

Happy shopping! Make sure to let me know your tips for photographing toddlers in the comments below!