If you’ve recently booked a photo shoot with a professional photographer, there are a few things that you might want to consider bringing with you to the shoot. Some parents might wonder why they should be the ones to bring stuff along. They’re the customer right?

The truth is, you’re hiring a photographer to do what they do best, take amazing photos, and there are some things that even the best studios won’t have available to you.

Here are a few things that you should consider bringing along to your child’s photo shoot if you want the best possible photos:

• Toys.​ Whether you’re bringing several children along to the photo shoot or you would like to fit in a few shots of you and your spouse alone, you want to keep your child occupied when they aren’t in front of the camera and toys are the best way to do this.

• Their favorite stuffed animal.​ Every child has that one stuffed animal that they take everywhere and even though it might be looking a little worse for wear, that stuffed animal plays a big role in your child’s life. One of the best parts about taking photos is that it captures a specific moment in time and that raggedy old bear is going to make for heartwarming photos years from now.

• Additional outfits.​ If you have a young child in the house, you’ll understand how quickly an outfit can get ruined. The last thing you want to worry about on the day of your photo shoot is whether your child is going to ruin their outfit before or during the shoot, which is why it’s always a great idea to bring an extra change of clothing just in case. It will really help with your nerves too.