Places to go, people to see!

The other day at my hairdresser’s, every customer with an available knee or free hand got a visit from a charming little fellow – Gabriel, 11 months old and yearning to be able to walk. He had already learned how to pull himself up to stand, and was excited to learn what else is out there in the big wide world. You could clearly see in his face, that he thought that walking was such a rewarding skill to have. Places to go, people to see… I love photographing children around their first birthday. Chubby little angel faces but already capable and determined to conquer the world (or next cupcake). Fantastic age for milestone photography like I do with my other brand “Happiness by Petsy Fink”.

Most children take their first steps around their first birthday, but the normal range for reaching this milestone is very broad.

However, a child that can not/barely walk is difficult to integrate into a Documentary Family Photo Shoot. It is often frustrated with its own efforts and requires help from a parent most of the day – which gives me hundreds of images with at least one adult bent over. Not ideal. I have photographed families with a toddler that age in the past but stopped.

I learned that the best results start to show when the youngest child is at least 18 months old, 2 years even the better. Between 10-24 months, a child becomes more sure on her feet and will start to feel very comfortable walking. By the time the child is 2, she has grown so confident of her ambling abilities that she now confidently takes part in every day life. Her steps are becoming more even, and she’s getting the hang of the smooth heel-toe motion that adults use. At this age your toddler probably also enjoys jumping and climbing which gives me a lot of photo opportunities.

So hold the horses for just a little bit and book me when your youngest child as 2+ years old.