Why unicorn poop will make or break your kid’s photo shoot

Yup, unicorn poop is totally a thing.

And as a photographer consistently trying to get young kids to relax, let loose, and be themselves, it has been a total game changer!

What is it, you ask?

It’s a verbal cue that I use to connect with your kids, get them laughing, and help them show their awesome personality to the camera. It works 99% of the time because kids love to talk about super weird and totally gross stuff.

Science says it’s because when we’re young, we are constantly seeking out new experiences to get our bearings on the world. Sure, we still do this as adults, but during our adulting years, we tend to approach new experiences like sky diving or vision boarding or fly fishing with a specific goal in mind. We have something we want to accomplish even if it’s just to feel a certain way.

Little kids, however, usually aren’t looking for something specific, because everything is new and exciting, but also kind of scary. So, they seek to pre-explore all those experiences through play.

Cue the unicorn poop.

Standing by yourself while a total stranger snaps photos of you could be pretty scary, overwhelming, or intimidating to a young kid – even(maybe especially) if your parents or whole family is standing 15 feet away… just watching or cheering you on.

Kids who feel uncomfortable tend to go into a shell and hide or move into performance mode plastering on a fake smile and posing how they think you want them to look. But that’s not what kid sessions or family portraits are all about. I want to connect with those kids and bring them out of their shell or break through performance mode.

As most parents already know, little kids find poop talk hilarious. Adding the mystical and magical unicorn element is downright knee-slapping, gut-busting comedy. And the best part? It totally breaks them out of their nervous discomfort, and allows them to feel like their naturally silly, fun selves.

P.S. Unicorn Poop totally works on adults too!

 

And now, there’s a recipe to make it at home! Cue infinite laughter: