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We have all heard the saying "Never work with children or animals". Well, an astute professional photographer may well acknowledge the wisdom of these words, but most will see the demand for children and baby photography and plunge ahead.

More and more parents are taking the step to hire professional baby photographers to start the family journey from pregnancy right through to their grandchildren. If you are a top quality professional photographer, with an impeccable reputation that gets the results, then the opportunity for lifelong clients is immense.

Professional photographers who have a great reputation can avail themselves of the opportunity for a life time of work. Many parents are documenting their child's life journey before they even enter the world with tasteful pregnancy shots. Grandparents are also becoming a greater portion of the market.

A professional baby photographer will be able to capture all the various moments and emotions from the total innocence and fragility of a newborn infant to the cheeky playfulness of a toddler. A truly professional photographer will be well prepared for an occasion and to travel. Quality photographers take pride in the final results and will provide unique and creative photos that the family will cherish for years.

However to create those fantastic photos you will need to have the correct equipment. At the very least, a quality DSLR, tripod, flash, and shutter release. Without these, you will have a remote chance of snapping the level of shots the client is expecting, and it will be difficult for the parents to take you seriously if you do not present with the expected photographic equipment.

Professional photographers are happy to travel to meet their clients. They will present themselves as professionals and have all the expected photographic equipment with them. True professionals take pride in their work and are always looking for that unique one-off shot.

The photo shoots should be lighthearted, relaxed, and fun. Children are very perceptive to tension and will not provide that winning smile if they sense discomfort. Try and think like a kid for the session and remember what was fun when you were small. This will get you much better results. Get the child's attention by coming down to their level. Have the parents provide a couple of favorite toys as an ice breaker. Make sure you have your finger ready to press that shutter release while your are engaging the child. This is where the lightning reflexes and patience will be rewarded with the stunning photo.

Baby photography is a competitive arena. However, only the most original shots are going to be used. If you are wanting to use the client's photos for commercial purposes you must have them sign a release form prior to displaying or submitting the photos for any other purpose. Baby photography is a commercially rewarding avenue, but to be successful the photographer must be skillful, patient, creative and knowledgeable.

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As most parents discover, there is no shortage of "experts" eager to tell you when to start potty training your child. It's easy to get caught up in the stories of babies being potty trained at eight months old and worry that your child is lagging behind.

The Only Rule

The first and only "rule" of potty training is RELAX. Trying to rush your child into toilet training will only upset and frustrate both of you. As a baby, your child took his first step and said his first word when he was ready; so it is with potty training. You can bet that in the "potty trained at eight months" legend, it was the parent who was trained, not the child. Anyone who sits a baby on a potty chair often and long enough, will eventually get lucky...but at what price?

The True Expert

The only one who can decide when your child is ready for potty training is your child. he will give you very clear signs that indicate he is ready to take this big step in his life. Some of the things you will notice are:

- Curiosity- he'll follow you (and everyone else) into the bathroom, curious about what you're doing. Answer his questions at his level using the terms you want his to learn and use.

- More Control- diaper stays clean for longer periods of time. You know you've hit pay dirt when he wakes up dry after naps.

- Wanting to be clean- as your child gets closer to being ready for potty training, he will begin to dislike the feel of a soiled diaper.

The Key to Potty Training Success

Patience and perseverance will win the day especially if you keep your expectations realistic. When you deal with accidents calmly and offer profuse praise for successes, your child will soon connect using the potty with praise and will want to do it more often. The potty training months can seem long, but keep in mind this is his last transition from baby to child. The time you spend sitting on the side of the tub encouraging him is precious and like all of babyhood, too quickly over.

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