Tips for Toddler Photos

1.    Pick a good time

Usually the morning is best if you want lovely photos. In the mornings, after a good sleep, they are happier, easier to manage and keener to listen. In other words, the most pleasant!

From my experience, the afternoons are a more difficult time for most little people, so definitely stick to the morning if you are planning a photoshoot.

2.    Getting their attention

If you are the one with the camera in hand, you should be the one engaging the toddler’s attention. If you have an assistant they are doing the ‘attention grabbing’ have them stand or sit directly behind you. You want the child to be looking into the lens, if they are looking off to the side (at a funny parent or sibling), it can really throw out the balance of the photograph. Ideally you just want to have one person getting their attention otherwise they can feel overwhelmed and overstimulated.

3.    Bribery

I’m all for bribery - absolutely! But try to leave the bribery as a last resort. If you promise a lolly or a special prize, toddlers want it STRAIGHT AWAY. They have a very small amount of patience so in my experience, it’s best to tell them part way through or wait until they are starting to lose it. Really sticky lollies, lolly pops, chocolate or messy colourful treats are not a great idea as they can stain teeth, clothes and the surroundings!

Great treat ideas include mini marshmallows and gummy bears (as they are small and not too messy) Prizes can be great too, especially if you try to avoid giving your kids sugar

4.    Blurry background

Here are some tactics I use when photographing toddlers.

·     Funny noises and silly sounds.

·     Silly jokes about animals (e.g. if they have a pet you could talk about it wearing the child’s pyjamas).

·     I try not to over stimulate toddlers at first with too many ‘attention grabbers’ but they can be great to get smiles.

Some examples of attention grabbers include bells, toys, shakers,

·     Blowing bubbles

·     Playing and dancing to their favourite song

·     Tickles

5.    What to wear

I always recommend for my clients to choose neutral colours or soft pastels and avoid crazy bright colours and distracting patterns. The reason for this is that these simple colours photograph well and create a more ‘timeless’ image (rather than patterns, colours and trends that come and go.) 

It is also worth noting to avoid obvious logos or writing on clothes can really distract from the subject.