Aubrey Suttle | Two Year Splash Session | White House, TN

I often have people ask me for photography advise. One of the most important words of advise I feel I can give is to not stress over perfection. So often when we feel we have to capture the "perfect" photograph of our kids or family, the emotion gets lost. Yes, those sweet, smiling at the camera shots are wonderful to have and I always try to make sure to capture some. But, ten years from now, think about what type of photograph will truly capture who your children are, who you are. Maybe it is that goofy smile they always make when you pull out your iPhone to snap a photo, or an action shot of them dancing. Maybe they are camera hams and love to pose and smile for the camera. Maybe it is a serious face that shows them thinking or even being a little shy. It could even be them with dirt on their clothes, messy hair, and running or rolling around.

Years from now, I always hope and pray my clients look back and are able to say, "This portrait makes it feel like ______ is still little. I can still picture them doing this!" Not just, "Oh, look at how nice they smile." Those client emails and reviews that mean the most to me are the ones that say, "You were able to capture who my child is, their true personality."

I have been photographing sweet Aubrey since she was a newborn. When her momma, who is also a dear friend of mine, and I were talking about her two year old session she knew that Aubrey loved to play and loved water. We decided a creek splash session would be the perfect way to capture her sweet self. By the end, she was laying on her belly in the water or trying to squirt us with a little water toy. When her momma and daddy look back at these portraits I hope they remember their sweet girl for her full of life personality.

So when you choose to capture portraits of your child this week, focus on capturing them doing something that they love and of them being who they are. Trust me, they will be some of your most precious memories.