Splash Pads are the Best – Candid Photographer Olympia

Candid Photographer Olympia

Candid Photographer Olympia, not a planned session but I thought it would be fun to share these candid moments I had with friends and share a tip about staying cool and how one might get the most of a kiddos bathing suit.

On Memorial Day weekend we got together, and it was glorious. I had an opportunity do some candid photography.

These two boys are very precious to me. They are such wonderful lights in our lives.

It was starting to get hot so I paid a visit to Costco.

I had been told there were water tables available, which I have been dying to buy but am always waiting for the right price. It had been two days since I saw someone post about the water tables being available. If you know Costco, when there is a great deal the product flies off the shelf.

There were three water play options left. A splash pad, a full on huge pool and a fun dinky pool. I decided to go with the splash pad as it made the most sense.

Why a splash pad:

Well we cant get a full sized pool in our lives right now, one day we will, being that I am south African, I need a pool guys!

The splash pad seemed like the best idea.

We could empty it easily and it didn’t seem like an enormous amount of water. I typically shove the water into the pot plants, etc.

Easy to dry and then put away, it can be folded or rolled up once dry.

It sprays water and fills up with water.

I can see the kids clearly and don’t have to worry too much about them slipping into deep water.

There is enough room for the kids and adults.

My dog can see what’s going on so she wont be stressed out about “what’s happening to the kids?”.

This is big enough for even a teenager to have fun in.

The only thing I would change:

Well a blue splashpad creates a blue reflection, photography wise its not the best situation so I would have loved a white option. If I convert the images to black and white its perfect!

Why is the splash pad a great device for your candid photo session?

Kids love water, even the shy ones warm up to being around it and later might get into it.

Being around the splash pad is a perfect setting, it creates a unique set of images. The water droplets are a great addition.

As kids get comfortable with the splash pad they might get onto it. That’s great because not only is it a great setting but the water creates a set of beautiful emotions and expressions on the kids faces.

It is also fun to get the kids to experiment with the water. Squirt guns can be included, throwing a bucket of water in the air is great, a colander is spectacular, water balls are fun and bubbles blown by my dear friend here are great ways to increase the fun.

Cleanup time is fun. I like to scoop up the water and throw the bucket of water onto toys that need cleaning or the water will arch over the kids as it travels to the rose bed.

I highly recommend getting a splash pad. Costco was selling them for about $12-18, they are probably sold out but amazon has them.

Other cool advice I got from friends:

You know those bathing suits with rash guard sets? Their super expensive most of the time right? Its great to wait for the end of the summer and buy the next size up for kiddo at the end of year sale but sometimes that stuff sells out super fast.

The kids this day didn’t know the splash pad was happening so they started out in their clothes and later their mom had a fantastic idea.

Before I share that wonderful idea, that I will be practicing in the future with kiddos, I want you to know something. These two kiddos LOVE putting on sunscreen/block. I myself have a hate love relationship with the stuff, I know its important but I hate the feeling of it. Not these kiddos, they were showing me how to put sunscreen on and were doing it to well.

Ok now that I have said that…..drumroll please…..the great idea my friend had was for the kids to just wear underwear as a bathing suit. The kids were so excited! When I saw this idea I had truly wished I had thought of it myself. Bathing suits can be so pricey even just he speedo or shorts.

Splashing around in the comfort of family, choosing underwear as the swimsuit is a great choice and now they gain more underwear options. Its multipurpose…who doesn’t love a multipurpose wardrobe option for growing kiddos!?

The experience for the kids was made extra special because they didn’t know mom had this option for them and second it was brand new and lastly it was their favorite characters!

But Shanna, your talking about candid photography sessions here, are my kids supposed to wear underwear to this kind of session?

Wear what you and let the kids do the same to the session. I like to blog about the sessions I do so keep that in mind. I don’t do nude photos of kids for obvious reasons. The whole idea of this post was to share what a casual or candid photo session could look like with me and to share the amazing multipurpose idea of underwear doubling up as a swimsuit.

I hope you enjoyed these photos and have a curiosity about candid photo sessions with me. Generally we try to get posed and candid’s but sometimes it fun to have candid completely on the brain as was the case here.