Mamas! Are you wondering how to get your toddler to smile for photos or look natural while being photographed? I have great news… getting your toddler to smile for photos isn’t your job, it’s mine. And it is one of the parts of my job I love the most. It is also the initial reason I launched Lamb & Bloom as my motherhood sessions this spring. I wanted to create something that was more than just beautiful photos, I wanted an experience that parents could enjoy and engage in with their children… something that would light that spark of wonder, delight and love in a natural way. Something that would become a precious memory.
Thankfully, one of my dearest and longest friends owns adorable Shetland sheep and we have been endlessly brainstorming ways to hangout and work together for years. Last year we wanted to do spring lamb photos but I was freshly postpartum so we decided to plan ahead instead. This gave me time to paint the backdrop and develop a friendship with an incredible florist.
Planning all of the pieces, I knew I wanted the blooms to be elegant and just a bit wild to tie together the elegance of the backdrop and wardrobe with the wild reality of little kids and baby lambs. Tracey from Art in Bloom Studio was an absolute dream to work with and her floral work is stunning. She took my inspiration and created two of the most exquisite bouquets I’ve ever seen.
On the day of the actual shoot, we had a team of 5 people (two sheep wranglers, one florist, one wardrobe organizer/hair stylist, and me) running the show to make everything go smoothly for the families who showed up for this experience. This allowed me to be fully present and engaged during each session so I could meet each kid where they were at.
What I wasn’t fully prepared for was how quickly the lambs would break the ice for the kids. How the giggles would start within seconds of seeing the baby sheep and how relaxed and happy lamb snuggles would make the kids.
I also was unprepared for how delighted the parents would be. The absolute delight in their faces when they saw the lambs, the tender smiles while they watched their kids have fun… it was all so genuine and pure.
Working with bouncy lambs and small children required intentional strategy and heaps of flexibility, but the end results were so so worth it! My general plan was to start each family with some “warm up” photos without the lambs and then bring the lambs in once the kids were ready.
What I quickly realized is that the kids were hyped about the lambs and warmed up even more quickly when we brought in the sheep.
A few moms warned me ahead of time that their child might be nervous since they had never met me before and I tried to reassure them that it might take a few minutes to warm up. I intentionally made these session slots extra long so that each family would have time to change into their outfits, get familiar with the space and the photos and the lambs.
But seeing how quickly the kids started giggling surprised even me! My favorite quote of the day was from a toddler hearing the lamb coming in the house “I’m so excited I can’t wait!”. This child was giggling and delighted simply by hearing the lamb bleating on its way up to the house.
The lambs honestly needed more breaks than the kids did, so whenever the lambs ran off, I took a second to capture a small detail or a quiet moment. These in-between photos are my favorite thing to capture in regular family sessions and they were just as precious during Lamb & Bloom.
Then when the sheep were calmed back down and returned to the scene, we jumped right back into lamb snuggles, bottle feeding, sweet kisses, and shrieks of joy.
I was especially proud of the dads who showed up for the experience and had such sweet moments with their families. Plus they were especially good lamb wranglers… win-win!
Seriously, the best experience… my heart is so full.
Lord willing (and Natalie willing lol) Lamb & Bloom will return spring of 2027
Sweet Breeze Acres Sheep
Tracey from Art in Bloom Floral Studio
(And if you don’t have access to the cutest lambs, don’t worry! It is still my job to get your toddler to relax and have fun during their session. I look for the moments in-between smiles where your child is looking at your with love or exploring the world around them with wide eyed curiosity. My favorite photos are usually not the ones where everyone is smiling at the camera anyways. I always recommend letting go of expectations and relaxing into the experience. If you lead with a calm, relaxed attitude, I can work with whatever your toddler throws at me. Connection and emotion >> forced smiles always).