06/17/2026
3 things I bring to every Playful Portrait pop-up that have nothing to do with cameras, lenses, or backdrops:
1. A heavy-duty wagon. This is purely a logistics flex — it hauls every prop and piece of equipment in one trip, then becomes my on-site storage while I shoot. Setup time? Cut in half!
2. White balloons. My not-so-secret weapon. Doesn’t matter if they’re 2 or 12, every kid can get behind a balloon game, and it’s the fastest route to real smiles instead of the forced kind. Bonus: they bounce light right back onto little faces like a built-in reflector!!
3. An iPhone tripod. Behind-the-scenes video has quietly become one of my best marketing tools. It shows families what the experience actually feels like, gives other photographers a peek at how I set up, and — let’s be honest — parents love seeing their kid pop up in a reel after the event!!
None of these made my list when I first started. Now I wouldn’t show up without them!!
Photographers, what’s one of the “random” items you always bring to a shoot??
