5 Secrets for Photographing Your Toddler

A little while ago, I had the pleasure of guest posting on my darling friend, Karina’s blog. I shared a few of my favorite tips for photographing toddlers. Have you ever tried to take pictures of a two year old? It can be completely exhausting! Let’s just say, there’s often exercise involved. It’s like a circus! If your toddler is anything like Ellie, they rarely (if ever!) sit still and even after years of practice, still don’t love having that big, black camera in front of their face. Who can blame them? Regardless, I feel the need to take a million pictures of E and I’ve learned a few tricks along the way. Here’s five secrets to remember when photographing your toddler. (And none of them include bribery! Though, that works too 😉

Always Have Your Camera Handy I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, keep your camera nearby! It doesn’t matter if you have an iPhone, a point and shoot, or a big DSLR, just keep it in a spot that easy for you to get to quickly.  It’s really hard to capture that split second, picture perfect moment when your camera is tucked away in your bag…all the way upstairs. Or better yet, when the battery isn’t even charged. 🙂

Let Them Play Toddlers are wiggly and active, so one of the best ways to get natural, candid shots is to just let them play! Let them run and jump and dig and swing and twirl. When they’re in their happy place, you are more likely to get a real smile out of the deal. Not only are you getting a great photo, but also capturing their personality. Bring your camera on your next adventure and let them run wild!

Try Different Angles For awhile, I noticed that all my photos were the same. I was so set on getting a good, smiling picture of my daughter’s face, that I forgot to move around. My photos were starting to look….boring! To avoid making the same mistake I did, remember to move around. Try crouching down to your toddler’s level for a few photos, then standing on your tip-toes and have them look up at you.

Capture the Details Don’t forget to photograph those little things that you love about your toddler. Perhaps it’s her long eyelashes and tiny toes, or his favorite, worn out shoes. All those tiny details are worth remembering. Later, they’ll love that you captured it too! And though it may take a little practice, try to photograph the messes too. These make hilarious photos to look back at, but require a bit of patience in the moment. 🙂

Get in the Photo, too! Sometimes, it’s hard to get us mom’s in the photo too! I frequently would use the excuse that because there was no one home during the day, I could never get photos of me and my little one together. (I probably used the excuse simply because I was still in my sweats…from a few days ago 🙂 Don’t get caught using the same excuses! There are plenty of ways to get in the photo, even if you don’t have anyone at home to play photographer. Invest in a remote for your camera and a tripod. Don’t want to spend any extra money? The self timer on your camera is free! It takes some practice to get the hang of it, but it’s totally worth it. Your kids want to see their mom in their photos, too!