There might be nothing harder in this world than photographing toddlers. Getting the perfect photograph is near impossible when they don’t want to sit still, they don’t want to smile, and their attention span is equivalent to a fly’s.

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Even as children get older it is still likely that they will dread the moment when they hear mom say “okay, time for pictures!”.

It might be difficult to get done, but it is still so important for us to get photos of our families to cherish forever so here are some tips for photographing toddlers while they are in that not so cooperative stage.

Tips for Photographing Toddlers

Make sure you have good lighting. Typically the best lighting for photos is natural light whether that is outdoors or the sun streaming through your windows. If the area is not well lit the photograph will not turn out the highest of quality.

Have fun. The majority of kiddos aren’t too fond of sitting still and saying cheese. Play a game of peek a boo behind the camera or have someone else try and make your toddler laugh. The action shots of your children laughing will beat out a fake cheesy smile any day.

Purchase a photography book. My go-to book for an education on photographing children is Your Child in Pictures by Me Ra Koh. It contains everything from lighting, camera settings, and smartphone photo tips to the pictures you should capture in each stage of your child’s life from 1-10 years old.

Use continuous shooting mode. Many cameras and smartphones have this setting (on the iPhone you simply hold down the shutter button and it will take a burst of photos) and it makes it to where you don’t have to take the photo at the exact moment your toddler smiles. The camera will take several images in a row so that you can pick out the photo that has the smile that lasted .5 seconds.

Don’t use zoom. If you are using a smartphone, don’t zoom and get closer instead. The lenses that smartphones use cause the quality of the image to become blurry when you zoom in.

Moments to Photograph Your Toddler

• Take photos of them with the object they are attached to. Our daughter’s is a stuffed animal that I never want to forget.
• Capture them learning how to potty train.
• Photos of them when they first start walking. Remember to get down on their level for this shot.
• Photograph them exploring the outdoors on their own.
• Take pictures of them with their pets and favorite animals.

The toddler years are full of so many “firsts”. Don’t forget to use these tips to capture the memories that will last a lifetime.

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