 BetterPhoto Member |
photographing toddlers I am a one person team - mom- with a hobby who loves to shoot children. I love to just let them go and capture them naturally in the studio. This past week I met my challenge - a busy two year old who was interested in everything BUT what I had for her to interact with! I am looking for new ideas to hold their attention in the "spot" I need them and still get them to smile/laugh. Can anyone share absolutes must haves or do's for this age? Thanks, DC
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Danielle E. Rutter |
Yeah. Drug em before they get there. :P JK. Two year olds are the absolute hardest to photograph (aside from when you add in their 3 month old younger sibling and their 3 year old older sibling). They do whatever the heck they want and if you try to stop them they scream bloody murder. They take a lot of experimentation. If they're not interested in one thing... give em something else. And loud noises help, too... to a point. Do them too much and they'll stop hearing them. Granted that's for a child that you want to have looking at the camera. If you want them at play, scratch that last part. Also, acting like the thing you've got for them to play with is just the best thing that was ever invented is pretty useful... and might make them pay attention to it for about five more seconds than they would otherwise. Plus get mom or dad to help out in this area as well: keeping them where they need to be, mostly. Sorry if that was rambled and made no sense. Kinda like a two year old wrote it. I hope it helped somewhat.
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Debbie Del Tejo |
Get mom and dad as far away from the room as possible...you have to take one shot and let them play for a while...take anothe shot and let them play for a while....take another shot and let them play for a while.... get the point....you can't expect them to sit still look at you and smile.
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Ana Brandt |
Ok here are my tricks - bubbles - the parent can help blow - just the anticipation of bubbles works for great expressions - stickers - love to put on the ground for the eyelashes shots - whatever the latest craze is - an elmo - dora - things to climb on - give them a ladder or a bench and watch them go - do a loud sneeze to get their attention! Good luck
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Jane M |
With a two year old daughter I know exactly what you mean! Peepo from behind the camera sometimes works, snap them while they're waiting for the next peepo. Asking them to look for imaginary animal in the lens sometimes works. An assistant can be useful with a puppet of something behind the camera. Good luck!!
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Debby A. Tabb |
DeDe, The trick to any kid in studio is remembering NOT to let them play with your toys. and don't let Moms give them to them as well, these are not toys but Tools of your trade. Once a child gets bored of a toy, that toy is done very seldom is it good to get expresion again in that sitting. With th eexception of a simple ball or bells. My favorate being a small rubber ball. Put it in your hand and offer it to the child as they reach for it pop it up out of yoru hand and thier reach and catch it again- this almost always gets smiles, giggles and looks of wonder. Things that really help in Child Photography are: *Some kind of posing table( when lifted a child tends to be less active) * and a trigger for your camera. I have both wireless and wired, prefering thewired as it is more dependable. About 16 feet is great. Please do remember safty rules and with that Mom and Dad should always be close by to catch the child if the should start to tumble. There is so much more on theis in the Studio Photography Threads #1-#22. Wishing you all the Best, Debby Tabb
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