The best part of family portrait sessions often happens between the formal takes. After sitting still for family group portraits, kids deserve—and need—to break free and burn off energy. This brother and sister running and laughing in the grass of their Leaside backyard exemplifies why building playtime into sessions creates both better behavior and better photographs.
This Toronto springtime session took advantage of the family's own backyard—familiar territory where kids feel completely comfortable. The fresh grass, gentle spring light, and open space for running created ideal conditions for both formal portraits and playful breaks. Photographing at home means seamless transitions between portrait moments and play moments without location changes that might disrupt young children's cooperation.
Experienced family photographers understand that kids have limited capacity for sitting still. Building active play breaks into the session timeline isn't just kind—it's strategic. Kids return to formal portraits more cooperative after releasing pent-up energy. Meanwhile, those play breaks yield genuine candid moments showing sibling relationships and personalities in action.
The connection between siblings—their shared laughter, their play patterns, their way of interacting—tells important family stories. These backyard candid moments capture relationship dynamics that formal poses cannot: who initiates games, how they make each other laugh, the ease and comfort they share. It's documentary storytelling within a portrait session.
Great family photography sessions deliver both: beautiful formal portraits suitable for framing and wall display, plus joyful candid moments that capture the energy and spirit of your actual family life. Together, they create a complete editorial narrative—how you look and how you live, preserved beautifully for generations.
Location: Davisville Village backyard Toronto.
1/200; f/4.0; ISO 125; 200.0 mm.