Valentine’s day will be here before we know it and if you’re anything like me, you’re already starting to plan your next at-home photo session with your children. Today, I’m super excited to share the sweetest DIY Valentines photoshoot ideas with inspiration from a session I did with my 2 year old daughter, Peyton.
Follow along for outfit ideas, photo editing tips, and to learn how we built and decorated an adorable kissing booth photo prop. We also created a FREE printable kissing booth sign, which is available for instant download later on in this post!
In case you’re new here, I’m Elaina, the mama behind Midwest Moda Lifestyle Blog. I developed a passion for “hobbyist” mobile photography when I became a mom in 2014 and have been working on perfecting my skills ever since.
I am not a professional photographer. In fact, I don’t even own a fancy camera. I take all of my photos with my phone and have for the last 10+ years. Through trial and error, I’ve learned many tips & tricks, and I love to share them as inspiration with my fellow readers.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please readour full disclosurefor more information.
Outfit Ideas for a Toddler Valentines Photoshoot
One of my most favorite things about Holiday photoshoots with my kids is picking out their cute little outfits beforehand. For Valentine’s day photos, I recommend dressing your toddler in something pink, red, white, or cream.
We chose red corduroy overalls with dark red hearts and a white top underneath, and Peyton looked so precious. Below you will find some of the sweetest outfit ideas for both little boys and little girls.
For little boys, check out these handsome Valentine outfit ideas from Amazon below:
- Lover Boy Pullover & Jogger Pants Set (red)
- Toddler Suspender & Bowtie Outfit (dark red & light pink)
- Gentlemen’s Suspender & Bowtie Outfit (red & white)
- Toddler Corduroy Button Overalls (wine, red, & pink options)
- Long Sleeve Plaid Flannel Top (red, white, & black)
In 2024, overalls, flares, and jumpers are all the rage. Here are a few adorable options to check out for your little girl:
- Valentine’s Day Flared Overalls (pink)
- Toddler Valentine’s Day Overall Dress (red)
- Flared Jumper with Hearts (pink, red, & cream options)
- Toddler Dress with Hearts (red)
- Toddler Suspender Strap Skirt & Shirt Set (red)
Kids Valentines Photos: Props & Decorations
When it comes to decorations and backdrops for a Valentine’s Day photoshoot, the options are endless. I have see a ton of super cute ideas like heart shaped balloons, umbrellas with draping paper hearts, newspaper backdrops, and boho tent props.
However, for Peyton’s Valentines photoshoot, we decided (on an absolute whim) to build a super simple kissing booth photo prop using wood crates.
For decorations, we opted for using items we already had around the house like glittery heart stands (sold out but here is an alternative (Glitter Heart Stands) and potted artificial roses.
We also ended up ordering an affordable 4-piece Valentine’s banner/garland set (link to amazon here) to decorate the kissing booth. Or if you’re going for a boho vibe, check out this Boho Beaded Banner, instead.
For the backdrop, we used a whitewash wood pattern from Ella Bella Photography on Amazon. It is actually made out of paper and it comes in a 4-pack, almost like rolls of wrapping paper (but thicker).
We purchased the set of backdrops in early 2018 and they are still holding strong today! You can grab your set here.
DIY Kissing Booth Photo Prop
In this section of our post, we will be providing tips for building your own DIY kissing booth prop. I personally believe that a kissing booth is the most adorable prop for a toddler Valentines photoshoot, and it was extremely easy to put together. We even had most of the supplies readily available around the house!
Kissing Booth Supplies
If you are interesting in building your own Valentine’s day kissing booth, you will need the following supplies:
- (2) 12″ x 18″ wooden crates (link to amazon here) to serve as the base.
- (1) piece of 3-8″ x 24-30″ wood to serve as the sign.
- (2) pieces of tall, thin wood to serve as the sign posts. We used extra wood we had laying around the house, which was approximately 1.5″ wide and 36″ tall. (perfect toddler size)
Kissing Booth Assembly
As I previously mentioned, assembling the kissing booth was surprisingly super easy. First, we placed the crates side-by-side (vertically) with the opening of each crate facing the same direction, and then drilled them together.
Next we drilled the tall, thin pieces of wood (vertically) to the open side of the crates. These are meant to be posts that hold up the kissing booth sign.
Finally, we drilled the 3″ x 28″ wood sign (horizontally) to the posts. I have seen others paint “Kissing Booth” on their sign, however, I wanted to have the option of repurposing this booth as a lemonade stand. So, rather than painting the sign, I opted for decorating it with an easily removeable Valentine’s day banner, and purchased a separate Kissing Booth sign to place in the photos instead.
Free Printable Kissing Booth Sign
Now for the FREEBIE! We created this 8×10 PDF Kissing Booth sign for our readers that are looking for budget friendly props and decorations. Also included in this digital download are larger prints of each item (text, arrow, hearts, lips) that can be cut out and glue to your booth if you’d prefer that instead.
–DOWNLOAD HERE
Valentines Photoshoot: Capturing & Editing Tips
When it comes to photographing, you don’t need a professional camera. You can still take great photos by simply using your phone. While I’m ALL for getting professional family photos (we get ours done twice a year), I’ve found that using my phone for the in between photoshoots gets the job done well.
Here are a few tips for DIY photoshoots using your phone:
- Placing your phone on a tripod is helpful for taking steady shots. I use and love this one here, and it is reasonably priced on amazon.
- Most phone cameras have an option for portrait mode… use it. This makes a world of difference in the quality of your photos.
- Photoshoots aren’t always easy with children. Ours typically include a ton of starting and stopping, and often times, a sucker as bribery. Just go with the flow, have fun, and let the giggles and wiggles unfold naturally.
Simple Photo Editing Tips
Now that you’ve wrapped up your Valentines photoshoot, it’s time to start editing. My favorite way to edit photos is with Adobe Lightroom. I have been using Lightroom and Lightroom Presets to edit my photos since 2019. Think of “presets” as filters; they enhance your photos in literally one-click!
Adobe offers a FREE app for Samsung & iPhone users, where you can edit photos right from your phone. They also have a paid desktop version for $10 per month. I finally opted for the paid desktop version in late 2023 and only wish I would’ve done so sooner. It makes editing so much faster!
Never used the FREE Mobile Adobe Lightroom App or Lightroom presets before? Check out our easy to follow,step-by-step guide here!
You can download the Adobe Lightroom app for free and have access to their free stock presets, however, the best presets don’t always come free (though they are extremely affordable!). I have purchased hundreds of different preset packages over the years before finally finding the absolute best.
The Magnolia Social is owned by an extremely talented photographer who decided to extend her services by creating and selling high-quality Lightroom Presets. This allows her clients (and anyone else) to create their own “professional” and stunning photos in one simple click. Talk about simplifying your DIY Valentines photoshoot!
Because I love their presets so much, I decided to join their affiliate program so I can share them with other mama’s like me that are obsessed with photographing their children. You can check out their website here to learn more, and be sure to use the discount code “ELAINA” for $10 off each of your orders!
Conclusion
I hope you found our Valentines photoshoot ideas & tips helpful. If you decide to use any of the advice included in this post, I would love to see your results! Stay in touch with me on Pinterest or share your results in the comments.
May your Valentine’s Day be filled with love, giggles, snuggles, and and adorable toddler photos. Happy Valentine’s Day from Midwest Moda!
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