How to Get Real, Genuine Smiles From Your Kids

Kids are completely unpredictable. They can be so adorable and easy going and laughing uncontrollably one minute, and the next minute, turn that charm off completely. They will typically smile for you all day long until you put them in front of a camera, then they freeze up like a deer in headlights. We want to avoid the gritted teeth and bug-eyed forced smiles during our session.

The Harris Family live full time in Kentucky but have made Palmetto Bluff their second home. What a great place for family to gather and the grandkids to explore together. I love seeing how unique every family is. Two sets of twins run in the Harris family so that is pretty exciting. Another amazing thing to capture was all the love the Harris’ Family have for adopted son Harris. Adoptions during the pandemic were very hard on families but they never gave up. He is so cherished.

Picture day can be a very, very stressful time if you have children. Finding the right outfit and a date that everyone is available on already causes you a headache. Once you have that down, though, everything is smooth sailing. You have prepared everything to be perfect, and then your worst nightmare happens – your child won’t cooperate. Even after you’ve coached him or her for the past two weeks and the entire car ride leading up to the session, your kiddo still just isn’t having it. You’ve tried all of the usual tricks and nothing is working. Sounds terrible, right?

Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, SC has to be one of the most gorgeous properties in the low country.We spent the afternoon driving around to all of my favorite backdrops. The Timmerman Family have had their second home on property for almost 10 years! The girls have all grown up and two have their own careers but kids are never too old to update those family photos!

The options are limitless for families staying at Montage Palmetto Bluff!  Horseback riding, shooting club, archery, fishing, boat rides, Smore’s, bike trails, tree house exploring, multiple pools (adult and kids), great restaurants, shopping, Veuve Clicquot picnics, a speak easy, bocce ball, basketball/pickleball/tennis courts, amazing golf, dolphin discovery tours, conservancy guided tours, paddle boarding, crabbing excursions … seriously so much and I’m probably missing a few!