WHEN WORKING WITH TODDLERS

I was so touched by the overwhelming response to my post about photo tips on lighting. So many of you have then followed up with me and asked specifically how I manage to work with an uncooperative toddler! This is such a great question because it took me a lot of trial and error in figuring out how best to take photos of someone who absolutely refuses to take directions 🙂

Dannica is almost 21 months old right now and for all the many months before that, she absolutely refused to take directions and could care less about photos. When I told her to sit, she would stand up and walk away. When I told her to walk around, she would sit down and sulk. When I told her to smile, she would cry. You get the idea. Things were going nowhere. The first and most obvious tip is that they really are in control. That being said, you can set yourself up for success!

The second tip is that your toddler will always be your x factor. So make sure that every single little detail outside of your toddler is ready and set to go for your photo. For me that is usually figuring out what angle I want to take the photo and where to position Dannica and Bella with respect to the lighting (see previous post on lighting). So once you have all the details figured out, then all you have to do is have your toddler come over and then you can just take the photo–you have zero time for fiddling and adjusting.

The third tip is to keep it fresh and new for your toddler. Put him or her in a new environment, or interact with new people, or reach for new things. You will be amazed by how easy they can be when they are simply exploring their new surroundings.

The fourth tip is that distraction will be your best friend. For me that usually means Bella (our Cavalier King Charles dog), but it can also be his or her favorite toy, or snacks, or flowers, or anything for them to hold, eat or interact with! Sometimes I use all those distractions to my advantage at the same time! You can go through all my Instagram photos and see that Dannica is always holding something, or eating something, or just sleeping.

And finally, be an observer. Let your toddler just be a toddler. I realized that the popular and most favored photos are always the more candid and natural photos where the picture tells a story. It’s more fun to capture a moment than to create one. Once you have your spot picked out, and your lighting just right, and brought your babe’s favorite snack and toy, all you can do is just let them be. And more often than not, it will be just perfect.

Below is a photo series of Bella cozying it up to Dannica in an effort to get a bite of her apple.