An After nap Afternoon in Cardiff...
Before I was a mom I was a nanny, so I have been well aware of the importance of nap schedules for a long long time. No amount of golden light can outshine a grumpy kiddo. After years of shooting weddings I learned how to create in any kind of light which is something I bring with me to every session and why I feel so confident saying that I will happily accommodate nap schedules regardless of the time of day. Yes, certain light is harsher than others but there are ways around that. There is nothing more important that setting your little one and the rest of your family up for a successful session than booking a time slot when your little one is happiest. The first thing parenting taught me is you can't plan for anything but you can try your best, with the tools you have to make it a great day. So when a client reaches out to me and they have a little one who still naps they always ask when the best time of day to shoot is, to which I always reply "whenever your kiddo is happiest." And yes, most of the tie this pertains to babies but it can work great of bigger kids too! Golden hour can wait for the days when their tiny bodies can handle being up later. You want photos where everyone is genuinely having a good time and that is so much harder with grumpy tired littles.
So even if you are traveling to San Diego for your session or you are local, I always recommend planning out time together around your little ones naps. You really have to put in the mental work ahead of time so that everyone has a great time. Bring the snacks, plan for breaks, change the clothes in the car, have some back up plans in place or a fun treat at the end. Talk to your littles about what the plan for the day is, it helps so so much! And don't worry about the light, that is my job. To be fair, I will be there too trying my best to entertain and provide an awesome sensory experience for the along the way. So remember, happy babies over "pretty" light all day every day, trust me.
