Chicago and Suburban Child Photographer Marmalade Photography
Hi I’m Mare!! I am a Chicago and suburban child photographer. I’ve been photographing kids of all ages since day 1. That’s over 20 years photographing Littles, Not-So-Littles, and Bigs! Children are remarkable subjects to photograph – they are spontaneous and fun, without a doubt. The energy during a photo session with the Little Set is infectious and it’s one of my favorite things about being a photographer. I like the unplanned nature of photos with kids, I am able to capture incredible in-between-moments (I like to call these “threshold moments”) which happen to be my favorite moments of all? You may wonder why…
So what are “threshold moments”?
It’s easy to imagine that you will remember your child’s smile and the way they move…in fact this is why those things are often intentionally photographed and videoed, right? But those “threshold moments”? Those moments where you can literally feel a pause, a moment of breath being held, a shift in energetic attention? Those are rarely captured well.
Don’t get me wrong – I love smiles and fun and happy happy happy and moody sad. I have plenty of examples of that! But the way your son reaches for his sister’s hand to help guide her to their next spot for exploration? The way your toddler looks down contemplating their next move? The way your pre-schooler looks at you for confirmation – these are things most people don’t notice.
Until they are gone. As a Chicago and suburban child photographer for over two decades I assure you they are gone before you know it! I can’t tell you the number of times I see a child in their 8th grade year and in the blink of an eye we’re photographing them for their senior photography session!!
Contact Chicago and Suburban Child Photographer Marmalade Photography
My approach to children’s photography is based on knowledge of the developmental phases of childhood (I’ve even taught a webinar on the topic in addition to part of my coursework when I ran mentorship and workshops!). I think it’s vital that photographers that work with children are aware of the different stages of childhood and put it into practice regularly.
How did I learn about these things? Through psychology coursework on the way to being a registered nurse before I became a professional photographer. It’s something I’ve thought about since moment one of starting my photography business.
What does this knowledge, background and over 20 years of experience photographing children and families as a Chicago and suburban child photographer bring you?
The Developmental Approach Towards Photographing Your Child
I taught this approach for a reason – in my workshops and for the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) from my years of experience as a Chicago and suburban child photographer – because I believe this is fundamental knowledge in photographing children. And the fact is: I have never seen anyone else present or lead forward with this info, which from my perspective is fundamental to understanding how children interact, play, and socialize.
In a few words: I use my ability to read the room, the art of anticipation and a sense of developing trust with my subjects to create your photographs.
The ability to read the room.
A toddler and a school-aged child may be siblings, growing up in the same home with the same set of parents – but they are not just two different human beings. Age-wise and the way they view the world? They are operating in completely different developmental worlds.
What works with a toddler (who is exploring independently, fostering their autonomy now that they can walk and have discovered the word “no”) will not work at all with the school-aged child (who is learning day after day how to refine their skills of collaboration with peers and adults)
With younger children, 1:1 attention that still fosters independence creates the trust that unlocks those threshold moments. So when I say “chasing after toddlers” – I’m not lying. Literally my thought process is: “I will be chasing after this two year old today.”
With older kids, collaboration and a sense of ownership over the session works far better than direction. Asking them what we should do next, asking them to pick a spot for their special time in front of the camera – this is what works. Having the knowledge of when to shift gears and letting moments unfold naturally – without the child or you as the parent even noticing – that’s the difference.
Anticipation.
I’m not reacting to moments – I’m prepared for them before they unfold. Understanding how a child’s brain works at each developmental stage, combined with over 20 years of photographing children of all ages, means I have a crystal ball of sorts for predicting a child’s next move. I could just say “oh, I’m a natural and it’s instinctual” – but that would be oversimplifying what anticipation actually is.
Trust.
A child genuinely knows when an adult likes them and wants to interact with them. Parents feel it too – when someone genuinely understands their child rather than just managing them toward a smile.
Some of my favorite photographs, as a Chicago and suburban child photographer, come from moments where a child’s will and my ability to gain their trust intersect. Sometimes during an outfit change I’ll take the kids aside and explore their personality in front of the camera without the hovering of a parent nearby. I’ve learned that reducing the pressure to perform in front of “their” adult allows children to open up – and we craft images filled with genuine expression rather than a forced “say cheese” smile. Those threshold moments I mentioned before? They just flow.
A building trust between myself and my young subject is when the real photo magic happens.
