Check out our blog!
MENU

Using Small Props to Tell a Story in Children’s Portraits

By: Always Remember Photography LLC

Where Story Begins: The Power of Small, Intentional Props

This post is part of a four-part storytelling series exploring how meaningful children’s portraits are thoughtfully created — from the smallest intentional details to the finished artwork families treasure for generations. Each chapter looks at a different part of the process, revealing how small props, environment, props and the perfect location come together to create portraits in my signature storybook style.  

Welcome to Week 1 — here’s how meaningful details like small props help shape a narrative.”

A 6 year old boy wrapped in a blue blanket, lifting a toy airplane outdoors towards a cloudy sky.

When I photograph a child, I’m thinking far beyond a pretty picture. I imagine parents looking at the portrait years from now and remembering exactly who their child was in this moment.  I love creating art that tells that story. Often, it’s a simple, meaningful prop — a treasured teddy bear, a favorite book, or a small wooden airplane that their grandfather made — that brings the story to life.

Then I take it a step further, creating a piece of art that feels timeless - something that could hang in an art gallery, yet feels unmistakably personal because the child at the center of the story is theirs.

 

Two kids playing baseball in a grassy field under a partly cloudy sky for a photography session near Cranberry Township, Pa.
Two brothers walking away after a baseball game. One has a glove on while the other has the bat over his shoulder with the glove hanging off of it.

The most important part of choosing a prop is making sure it truly fits the child and the story being told. 

If two brothers love to play baseball, then a simple vintage wooden bat paired with a worn glove and ball becomes the perfect prop. Add intentional wardrobe — baseball caps flipped backward, old jeans and well-loved baseball shirts — makes the story unfolds naturally. Suddenly, the portrait isn’t about posing or props at all. It’s about two brothers outside, side by side, playing a game they love.

This pairing of props and intentional wardrobe is what makes the story feel timeless and uniquely theirs.

When a prop reflects what a child truly loves, and the portrait captures that moment, I know the artwork has done its job — creating a memory that parents will treasure for years to come.

 

Young girl in a blue dress holding a vintage watering can as she waters the wildflowers in a field.

Planning a Fine Art Children’s Session

In every session, the child is always the heart of the story. Props are never the focus — they are simply quiet companions that help the story unfold.

When planning a custom session, I begin by asking parents a few gentle questions: Who is your child? What do they love?  How do they spend their days when they go outside to play? These answers become the foundation of the artwork that I will create.

From there, I bring a small selection of simple, timeless props, chosen to spark imagination rather than distract from it.

A child who loves to run might chase the wind with a kite, run through a field with a butterfly net or a small wooden airplane in hopes of discovery. A child who loves watering flowers outdoors given a small vintage watering can and a field of wildflowers and for children who find comfort in stuffed animals, a soft teddy bear often joins the adventure — tucked under an arm while wandering through wildflower fields and down country lanes.

At the start of the session, I invite the child to choose what they’d like to hold on to or play with. That small decision gives them ownership of the story and allows their imagination to lead the way.

Each prop is simply an invitation — to explore, to wonder, or to hold onto something familiar while their story quietly unfolds.

If you’d like to see how these stories come together, you can view my Children’s Gallery and experience the artwork created through these quiet, meaningful moments.

 

Child in a blue dress and boots stands by a forest stream holding Goofy, her favorite stuffed animal for a photgrapher near Wexford, Pa

Including What’s Already Meaningful

I also love asking parents if there’s something their child always keeps close — a favorite stuffed animal, a well-loved blanket, a small toy that brings comfort, or even a pet that follows them on every adventure. In this portrait, a little girl stands at the edge of the creek holding her beloved Goofy, tucked safely under her arm as she looks out at the world around her.

Goofy becomes part of her story — a quiet reminder of who she is in this moment of life: brave enough to explore, yet still holding tight to what feels safe and familiar. It’s these small, meaningful details that transform an image into artwork — a piece that can hang in the home, inviting family and friends to step into the story and remember this moment just as it was.

Child in red jumper sits on an old tree stump along a country lane as she draws a picture on her art tablet.

A Portrait to Treasure

My goal is always the same: to create portraits that feel like memories — images that allow parents to look back and remember this chapter of their child’s life exactly as it was. In the portrait above, a little girl sits quietly drawing, completely absorbed in what she loves most. By weaving her love of art into the session, the portrait becomes more than an image — it becomes a reflection of who she is in this season of childhood.

If you’d like to see more examples of how these personal details shape a session, you can explore my How to plan a storytelling Session for Children — or reach out to schedule a custom session and begin capturing your child’s story today.

Small, intentional props are only one part of the story — they invite expression and meaning on their own, but the story truly unfolds when children interact with the world around them. In the next part of this series, we’ll explore When the Environment Becomes Part of the Story — from the timeless charm of a gate to the playful motion of a tire swing and the quiet paths through open fields — showing how these elements make your child’s portrait session feel effortless and unforgettable. Combining small props with environmental elements, I photograph children from Mars, Cranberry Township, Wexford, and Fox Chapel, creating story-driven portraits in settings that feel both personal and magical.

Previous Post Next Post

Archive

2026 Jan
2025 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2024 May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Dec
2023 May Sep

SIGN UP TO FOLLOW MY BLOGS

Thank you for contacting us!

We have received your message and will contact you shortly

View Receipt View Submission
Love learning about storytelling through photography?  Sign up to follow my Blog!

Please provide your email below to get the latest Blog updates from me!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for contacting us!

We have received your message and will contact you shortly

View Submission
Leave this field empty
CLOSE
Check out our blog!