Cheese free sessions! | “Our sessions are dairy free!”
While I keep dairy free snacks on hand for clients when they leave the studio (as well as nut and gluten free!), the “dairy free” experience I’m talking about is actually the use of the word cheese during sessions.
If you’re had a session with me, you certainly know I don’t use prompts like “smile” or “cheese”. If you have toddlers or school aged kids you surely know what the resulting smile looks like. The Chandler smile on Friends is a classic example.
Connecting with kids through songs, games, or talking about their interests is above all what is most helpful at a family portrait session. That is the best way to get the most genuine and authentic smiles and facial expressions. I am good friends with the whole Paw Patrol gang and am happy to chat favourite sports and other activities. I’m even known to break into song for the most shy toddlers (or teens!) to elicit a natural facial expression.
That being said, I’m still going to take photos of silly faces, big cheesy grins, and even cheeky grimaces and scowls because we don’t smile 24/7. I think photos should be taken of all our glorious faces (and facial expressions) even at a cheese free session!
