Your Child's Portrait - Nightmare or Dream Come True

The minute we become parents we begin photographing our children - in the crib, in the bath, in mid diaper change. You name it, we'll snap a shot at anything they do because what we are trying to capture is that indescribable expression they make, or that impish grin they spread, or that angelic smile they flash, before they move on to their next phase.

Eventually, we realize our attempts just aren't cutting it, so we bring in reinforcements. We visit a professional photographer to create that perfect image.

But how many of us have ended up with a headache, a picture of a not very happy baby or toddler and an overall unsatisfied feeling after leaving the studio. We've all had that nightmare experience where the child or children don't want to cooperate, the photographer gets annoyed and mom or dad get very cranky.

The secret is that it doesn't have to be that way. Not if you plan carefully and choose wisely the three key elements of a beautiful portrait.

• The right photographer
• The perfect setting
• The appropriate timing

Taking some time to carefully think through each of those elements will make a huge difference. If you make the choices that work best for your family, you'll end up...

• With a picture perfect portrait that is exactly what you imagined and more
• Increasing the likelihood that your children will want to have their portrait taken again
• Ensuring everyone has a good time and no one leaves in tears, least of all you

Stay tuned over the next week as we continue this blog series "Your Child's Portrait - Nightmare or Dream Come True." We'll go into more detail about selecting those three elements and making your dream of a beautiful portrait come true.