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beginning photography tips photography
June 26, 2018

Top 10 toddler photography tips so you can take gorgeous toddler pictures

In today’s post: Tired of chasing your toddler around to get a great photo? Check out these top 10 toddler photography tips so you can get gorgeous pictures of your little one!

Toddlers are notoriously hard to get good pictures of. There are three main obstacles: 1 – They don’t want to sit still for ANYTHING, and certainly not for a photo. 2 – Even if they do stop moving, it’s hard to get them to look into the camera. 3 – It’s almost impossible to get a good smile from a toddler just by asking for one. To help you take better toddler pictures, I’m sharing my top ten toddler photography tips with you today.

Top ten toddler photography tips so you can take gorgeous pictures of your toddler!

Top ten toddler photography tips: how to get them to sit still + look

Toddler Photography Tip #1: Give the toddler somewhere to sit.

This tip is especially important for younger toddlers, who have learned to walk recently enough that they do it every waking minute. It’s really hard to get your photos in focus if you’re chasing an 18 month old around the room. It’s much simpler if you provide somewhere for the child to sit – a stool, rocking horse, stump, bench, chair, etc. Have your camera out and ready before you sit the toddler down because he may only stay there a moment or two – but even a few moments of stillness is better than running around like a crazy person snapping photos while calling to the kid to please just stop and look! (not that I’ve ever done that…)

A little boy posing for a picture on a wooden rocking horse

In the photos above I convinced a reluctant toddler to sit on a rocking horse. Wooden items like rocking horses, stools or benches make great seating options for photo shoots because their neutral color means they won’t be distracting in the final photo – but if you really don’t like how the “prop” looks in the photo you can usually crop it right out.

Toddler Photography Tip #2: Give her something to hold. Again, this is more helpful for the younger set. You might have your daughter trapped on a stool that she can’t get down from, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to look at you or smile at you. Be prepared with a small toy (or grab a leaf or flower it you’re outside). Hand the item to the toddler and give her a few minutes to look at and play with it. Then just wait, camera at the ready, until she looks up at you to share her delight – then capture the expression.

A little girl holding a flower and smiling

Toddler Photography Tip #3: Give her something to look at. Toddlers seem to know you want them to look at you, but do everything in their power to avoid making actual eye contact. Wheedling, threatening, and bribing occasionally work, but giving them something interesting to look at works better. Did you know that if you file down the feet of a Pez dispenser just a bit it fits into the external flash attachment of your dSLR? No kidding. It’s fantastic. Pick a princess Pez or a Lightning McQueen Pez and stick him on top of your camera, then show your child that the Pez gives out candy for kids who look at him. Find out how to attach a Pez dispenser to your camera here.

A toddler smiling at the camera

Or, grab a bunny ear headband from the dollar store at Easter (or a Shamrock one at St Patty’s, etc) and pop it on your head when the child’s not looking. Then keep asking them what’s on your head and how it got there. They’ll stare right at you, and probably laugh. I’ve even tied bells to my wrist and jingled them up by my camera to get a great toddler picture.

Also – move around a bit while you talk to the child – stand up, sit down, lean to the left or right. Your motion will naturally draw her eyes toward you, and you’ll be able to get photos from a variety of angles.

Toddler Photography Tip #4: Let them see themselves inside the camera. Getting pictures taken is just a chore to a little kid who’d rather be running around and playing. So snap a few whether she’s cooperative or not, then show them to her on the back of your camera. Tell her you got her inside the camera, and she’ll immediately be more interested in the camera and more likely to look at it when you start shooting again.

A close up of a little girl

Toddler Photography Tip #5: Ask him to play copycat. This works better for older toddlers (2&3 yr olds) who will be able to understand what you’re asking. Sit or lie down and strike a simple pose, then ask the toddler if he can do the same thing. Try a few funny poses first to get him involved and tell him what a great copycat he is when he copies your pose. Them move on to other poses and ask him if he can be a copycat and then freeze in that position while you take his picture. As long as you keep telling him what a great job he’s doing, he’ll likely continue to copy you for at least a couple of poses.

Pictures of little boys smiling for the camera

Top ten toddler photography tips: how to get a great smile

Ever asked a three year old to smile? If you have, you know that you generally end up with something more like a grimace than a grin. Toddlers and preschoolers are tough to photograph – getting pictures taken feels like a chore to them. They’d rather be running around and playing, so if you’ve convinced them to sit still for a minute, chances are you’ll end up with a cheesy smile or a grumpy look. These next five toddler picture tips involve ways to get a great, natural looking smile.

Top ten toddler photography tips so you can take gorgeous pictures of your toddler!

Toddler Photography Tip #6: Ask silly questions. You CANNOT just tell a toddler to please look at you and smile for a good picture and expect it to work. Some young kids are very shy and won’t even want to make eye contact with you, let alone smile at you. And believe me, little kids are stubborn – they’ll wait forever, looking everywhere except at you, until you’re ready to throw in the towel.

A toddler girl not looking at the camera

When I have a reluctant toddler or preschoooler, I lower the camera and spend a few minutes making very silly small talk. With this little girl I talked for a few minutes about favorite TV shows and then started snorting like a pig and pretending I couldn’t figure out where that noise was coming from. Once you’ve grabbed the child’s attention, you can bring the camera back up and start asking silly questions: “does your Daddy wear diapers?” or “is there an elephant on my head?” or “how old are you? about 25?” Once she’s more comfortable you’ll be much more likely to get a natural smile from her.

A toddler girl laughing and looking at the camera

Toddler Photography Tip #7: Offer a small, tidy treat. If your toddler is on the younger end and talking to her isn’t working you might end up with photo after photo that looks like this:

A baby girl with a sad expression

Sometimes a little something sweet can break the ice. I try to always keep Smarties handy when photographing kids – they’re tiny, they don’t make a mess, and I can dole out one at a time over and over again without giving anyone a sugar high. Hand over the candy and give your child a minute to start eating. Then be ready to snap a shot when she grins in enjoyment.

A baby girl holding something in her hand and smiling

Toddler Photography Tip #8: Don’t ask for a smile – surprise him into one. If you request a smile from an obliging preschooler, you’ll probably end up with this:

A toddler boy making a fake smile for the photograph

Good try, but not quite what you’re looking for. Instead, ask him to close his eyes and then after a minute make a loud sound like a sneeze or a bark. He’ll be startled at first, but will probably laugh for a few minutes and maybe even smile at you afterward. (Be careful about using this with very shy kids who might get scared.)

A little boy with a genuine smile

Toddler Photography Tip #9: Ask for a sad face. When he gives you a look like this:

A young boy with a sad expression looking at the camera

…you can say, “Ok, now don’t smile. Don’t smile! Not even a tiny bit – no I’m serious, don’t smile!” Most kids bust up laughing after a few minutes of trying hard not to smile. (But don’t forgot to take a picture of the sad face as well!)

A small child smiling at the camera for a great picture

Toddler Photography Tip #10: If all else fails, ask him to scream as loud as he can. It might take a little encouragement, but most little kids love to scream. And after they do – they’ll smile. You just can’t scream as loud as you can for no reason and then NOT smile. It’s a universal law of nature. Or something like that.

A little boy screaming and then smiling for a picture

Remember, it’s HARD to get great toddler pictures, and you can’t expect the perfect eye-contact and a cherubic smile every time you try. Some days it just doesn’t happen. The good new is that a smile isn’t the only expression worth recording. Sometimes other expressions are just as precious:

A close up of a little girl who is looking away

Want more photography tips? Check out these posts:

DIY newborn photos

Posing ideas for boys

Posing ideas for girls

How to set up a home photo studio

20 DIY photography backdrops

 

A little girl looking away, then smiling for the camera - how to take great pictures of toddlers

A little boy with a fake smile and then with a genuine smile - how to take great photos of toddlers

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Comments

  1. Shirley says

    February 25, 2013 at 12:02 am

    These are such good suggestions! I have a hard time with both of my boys so I have some new tricks to use! Thanks Autumn!

    Reply
  2. Caprice says

    February 26, 2013 at 12:02 am

    Who is that adorable boy in the first pictures? In the blue shirt. That kid is gorgeous! Very good tips. Although the pez dispenser tip reminds me a bit of “While you were Sleeping” when the grandma has the birdie attached to her camera. 🙂

    Reply
  3. rhiannon says

    February 26, 2013 at 12:02 am

    amazing tips. number three is fantastic! i have a 2 and 4 year old and will be trying these out a LOT!

    Reply
  4. domestic bliss squared says

    February 27, 2013 at 12:02 am

    Great post! I love this info, as two of my regular models are my four and one year old kids! Thank you.

    Reply
  5. Vicky @ Mess For Less says

    February 27, 2013 at 12:02 am

    These are some great tips and I am sure they will make my photography better. Just pinned!

    Reply
  6. Jessi @ Practically Functional says

    March 1, 2013 at 12:03 am

    Great tips! The thing about the Pez dispenser is super smart!

    Reply
  7. April says

    April 17, 2013 at 12:04 am

    These tips sound great. I will be using them on my first toddler session soon. thank you.

    Reply
  8. a mother says

    May 25, 2013 at 12:05 am

    When my son was a toddler I told him: “look, mommy has green hair (three eyes, two noses,…) ” and when he was looking at me – first disbelievingly and then laughing – I quickly pressed the button. Worked all the time…

    Reply
  9. Lisa at Mabey She Made It says

    September 17, 2013 at 12:09 am

    These are great! And smarties? Love it. I’m off to look at your tips for getting them to give a genuine smile–my youngest is in the grimmace stage and all her “smiles” are painfully funny so getting a natural one of her is difficult.

    Reply
  10. Diana says

    March 14, 2014 at 1:49 pm

    These are fabulous! I’ve learned a few of these the hard way (trial and error) with my little guy, but I’ll definitely be adding these to my arsenal of tricks. I really like the ideas of copycat and having them sit on something.

    Another thing I’ve tried that’s kind of like the bunny ears is to suddenly crow like a rooster. It usually only works once per photo shoot, so you have to be ready, but you’re almost guaranteed to get the child to look right at you! 🙂

    Reply
    • autumn says

      March 17, 2014 at 1:35 pm

      Great tip – thanks!

      Reply
  11. Ashley says

    August 9, 2014 at 1:48 pm

    These are fantastic! I’ve really struggled with getting good images of little ones and they are so busy and uncooperative. I love your suggestions and am going to try some of them out today with a 2-year-old at her shoot!

    Reply
  12. Debbie Rudder says

    September 7, 2014 at 1:46 am

    These were great ideas. Getting my 2 year old grandchild to be still for a picture is quite a chore .

    Reply
  13. Mike says

    September 15, 2014 at 6:10 pm

    These are good tips. I find it better to let kids be themselves and walk around. Maybe blow some bubbles, or something. You can always call to them if you want them to look directly into the camera. I’ve been shooting kids for over 10 years, and get much better results when I don’t make them sit still.

    Reply
  14. Deryck says

    September 16, 2014 at 2:35 am

    Genuinely excellent tips!

    Reply
  15. آتلیه کودک says

    October 15, 2014 at 4:33 am

    USEFUL TIPS THANKS FOR SHARING

    Reply
  16. Diane says

    March 6, 2015 at 10:35 am

    For the first year of my son’s life we had pictures done every month. I would stand behind the photographer and do peek a boo. Got his attention and also made him smile. Now as photographer they probably couldn’t do that.

    Reply
    • autumn says

      March 9, 2015 at 3:27 pm

      It is nice to have someone help get the toddler’s attention when you’re taking photos! If you are helping, just make sure you get as close to the camera as possible so that when the child looks at you he’s also looking at the camera. Thanks!

      Reply
  17. Moe says

    January 14, 2016 at 3:20 pm

    Great tips! I’m trying the pez dispenser trick!

    Reply
  18. Kairi Gainsborough says

    February 23, 2017 at 6:23 pm

    I love your idea for sticking a Pez dispenser on a camera to try and get your kids to look at it. Whenever I try to get my son to sit for a picture, either he is moving around or I happen to miss the perfect moment to take the shot. I don’t have any good school pictures of him to give out to family members! In this situation, I think it would be helpful to take him to a professional for a good portrait.

    Reply
  19. Meltem says

    May 13, 2017 at 1:43 am

    Thank you so much! This is such a helpful post and I am definitely going to try it asap 🙂

    Reply
  20. newborn photography says

    June 11, 2017 at 7:01 pm

    Hi there, all is going well here and ofcourse every one is sharing information, that’s really good,
    keep up writing.

    Reply
  21. Lucy Gibson says

    April 16, 2018 at 5:24 pm

    Your sixth tip about asking silly questions seems like a brilliant way of getting a good smile out of them. It makes sense that some children will be shy and may not want to look or smile at you. I would also think that including a fun photo backdrop could be an excellent tool for getting a great photo. I would imagine that any photographer might want a lot of different backdrops to have for each occasion.

    Reply
  22. Margot says

    June 27, 2018 at 8:44 am

    Love your photos and suggestions and am forwarding them to my nieces (who have little ones) and my husband, who had the opposite problem. He had my children trained to stop anything they were doing and smile at the camera the second it came out. I would have loved some spontaneous, unposed pictures of my children just being themselves. What are the best strategies for unposed pictures?

    Reply
  23. Kathy says

    August 9, 2018 at 9:43 pm

    Great tips. It is so hard to get a toddler to sit still for a picture.

    Reply
  24. Rae Winch says

    October 16, 2018 at 8:06 pm

    It really was nice when you said that kids are finding it difficult to maintain eye contacts with people, so it is a good idea to give them something to look at if the person wants a good photo. I will keep this in mind since I will be taking a photo of my little boy, or rather, I will be hiring someone to do it for me. He might still be small, but his eyes frequently wander to the things that attract his attention. Seeing this article made me realize that we can use this to our advantage.

    Reply
  25. psychiatrist in Sacramento says

    January 14, 2020 at 8:56 am

    Very nice article It really was nice when you said that kids are finding it difficult to maintain eye contacts with people, so it is a good idea to give them something to look at if the person wants a good photo. I will keep this in mind since I will be taking a photo of my little boy, or rather, I will be hiring someone to do it for me.

    Reply

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I'm Autumn, a mom of five who loves ice cream, Masterpiece Theatre, and clothes that hide the fact that I eat so much ice cream. When I was 18 I got a job at a craft store and told everyone (regularly) how much I hated crafts. Well, things change! Read More…

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