Combining my two favorite things: style and function, a Ring Sling is your answer to an easier family shoot with a young child. A simple cloth sling held together in place by two metal rings, it features a long trailing segment of fabric artfully draped over one side of the body. Say goodbye to awkwardly figuring out how to hold a squirming infant while still showing off your good side, and say hello to a stylish family photo with a cozy, comfy baby!

Hardly new or revolutionary, but nonetheless one of my favorite and most oft used accessories of the year. Bubbles are a great engagement tool for children under 10. Any kind of bubbles: small bubble sticks, big bubble wands, bubble guns... they're fun and keep kids focused: it's play time, at the photo shoot! And best of all, they're colorful and visually charming, so your photos have a little extra whimsy.

Specifically: A clear plastic umbrella with a curved handle. November through February sees scattered (and briefly, heavy) rains in the Central Valley. A stylish umbrella makes for a great photo shoot prop to emphasize the moody, seasonal weather while also keeping you dry; and a clear plastic one offers the added benefit of more light on your subject, and a good view of all the raindrops clinging to the plastic.

Everyone, meet Foxy. I've had the privilege of photographing this charming little girl and her favorite stuffy for two years, now (and in each session, Foxy was included). I remember my favorite childhood stuffed animal, and I sometimes find myself looking back and wishing I had more photos with him before he wore out beyond rescue. So much of what child photography is about is capturing kids at a distinctive and fleeting time in their lives - and part of that time very often includes having a favorite stuffy they haul around everywhere they go. So why not include them in the photos with you, while they're still around?

Whether its for a one year anniversary shoot or your first maternity session, a wedding veil can add a lot of visual interest as well as symbolic meaning to your shoot.