A Child in Frame _ monomad daily chalenge

Some children don’t need to “pose.” They simply are—and that’s more than enough.
This recent session was all about embracing that natural charm. A single setup, simple props, and one incredibly expressive little boy.

He sat at the center of a small wooden stall I’d decorated with faux vegetables and flowers. Nothing too elaborate—just enough to spark imagination. What made the shoot special wasn’t the setup, but the way he interacted with it. He looked around with wide, curious eyes, reached up with one hand, played with the edge of the awning, and then suddenly turned and smiled with a light in his eyes that I couldn’t have directed even if I’d tried.

One of the challenges in photographing children this young is that you’re never fully in control. You work fast, you stay alert, and you let them lead. Lighting needs to be soft but decisive—I used a single light source and a neutral gray background to keep things timeless. I chose black and white for this session to strip away the distractions and focus on expressions, gestures, and textures: denim, cotton, skin, wood.

In some frames, he lifts his hand as if he’s greeting someone outside the frame. In others, he looks down at the vegetables beside him, his curiosity piqued. I tried several angles—some close, others wide to include the full set and bouquet at his feet. Each gave a slightly different mood.

What always stays with me during children’s sessions is how fast these moments pass. These little faces, round cheeks, tiny hands—they change in a blink. That’s why I keep clicking. Because while parents may choose a few final shots to frame, I know every photo holds a different piece of who that child is right now.

In the final two images, we decided to bring the child down from the stall and have him sit on the floor for a different feel. Due to his young age and limited balance, his father stayed close, gently supporting him from behind to ensure he wouldn’t fall forward. Similarly, in the earlier shots where he was seated on the wooden structure, his father’s hand was there, just out of frame, helping him maintain balance.

Later, during editing, we carefully removed the visible hand in post-production to preserve the natural look of the scene. But behind the simplicity of these photos was a clear priority: safety first, then the shot.

Thank you for taking the time to view this session. I hope it gave you a moment of peace and maybe even made you smile. Until next time.