“They Won’t Stand Still” Is one of the most frequent comments I get!

Kids don’t like standing still. That’s just a fact. And after kiddos do a whole lot of sitting down at school, the last thing you want to have to do as a parent is make them CONTINUE to be still when they get home. As a Mom of neurodivergent kiddos… I know from personal experience that neurodivergence (especially in the form of ADHD!) means this whole “not sitting still” thing is taken to level ELEVEN, super fast. Zero to sixty.

And I hear from parents all the time that they’re worried their kiddo won’t stand still long enough for me to get good photos. Literally all the time. And like I said, I get it. I totally understand why that would be a concern. But if you’re booking with me? You don’t NEED to be concerned about that. I absolutely pride myself on keeping kiddos (especially neurodivergent kids!) engaged during sessions, and I PROMISE your little ones won’t break my streak!!

How do we keep them engaged?

Just like everything I do, I like to keep this simple.

1. They can do fun stuff!

Whether we’re outdoors or indoors for your session, while we’re working together, we’re going to keep things FUN! This is a great way to keep kiddos engaged, for sure, but it’s also a big part of creating a magical memory for your family. We play games, I use prompts, we laugh, and honestly we have a great time. If we’re outside, they get to LITERALLY run and play while I document them having real, raw, kid moments. From brothers holding hands to your daughters picking flowers, those kinds of “action shots” are part of the magic. And… they don’t involve sitting still.

2. Keep it MOVING

Thinking about photo sessions probably conjures images of plopping in front of the camera and being told to put your hands at your sides, and say cheese. Right? Well, that’s not what a photo session with Jessica Strobel Photography is like. At all. Like I said before, we have fun! But we also keep things moving. If we’re posing, we can run them quick-fire. One pose, to the next. There’s not enough time sitting still for your kiddos to get tired, or antsy! Now, this being said – I match my pace to your family’s needs. So if you’re not a family that NEEDS things to be fast paced, we adjust. But on the whole, for kiddos who need a lot going on and have difficulty with the “sitting still” thing, this solves the problem pretty immediately!

3. Sessions are QUICK

And finally… sessions are quick. I pride myself on getting gorgeous images in very little time – that way you can be in and out of the studio before your neurodivergent kiddo can get bored! They arrive, and it’s novel, and new, and fun – we have the session, and before they know it… you’re already done!

Most sessions in the studio last around an hour, give or take. If you’ve opted for a mini-session (which is TOTALLY worth it!!) to gauge how your kiddo(s) react to the studio, it’ll be even shorter! So you don’t have to worry about fatigue setting in. No one likes a cranky toddler, right? And I never want to be the cause of one, that you’re going to have to handle when you’re leaving. This is supposed to be a great experience for YOU too, remember! So I keep things quick, while still getting you the gorgeous images of your favorite people that you can hang on your wall. Everyone wins!

Let’s be honest… I don’t like standing still either!!

At the end of the day… I don’t like standing still either. I’m always moving, and I don’t like to keep people waiting. So when you’re working with me in the studio, you can expect things to run on time, and without stress! If you’ve got any concerns about bringing your kiddo into the studio (whether they’re neurodivergent or not!) just reach out. I’d love to talk to you about accommodations we can make to your experience so that they’ll have the best time in the studio possible! And that way YOU can too!