Taking Photos of your Toddler

Sometimes having a camera out can make a seemingly ordinary morning or outing seem extra fun. Especially, in my opinion, if you mainly take candids and don't spend the time waving at your baby and trying to get him to stop what he is doing and smile. Don't get me wrong, I've definitely blown raspberries and sung songs and danced around for a smile, but I don't do it every time, and if I did, N sure would be bored with it. I take a lot of pictures of him, and have fun doing it. Here are some ideas that have made fun photos for us...

Take a picture from behind. See what they see. 

Introduce a prop. Like Norman, here, who is having tummy time alongside his pal N.  

Capture the unusual near your baby. Blowing bubbles? Running through sprinklers? Chasing butterflies? Walking amidst tractors? Sitting in a ball pit? All these unusual surroundings make for fun photo backgrounds for your little one. 

 

Framing is fun. Seriously. Suddenly the whole world seems to be a frame once you start to look. A hole in a block, a window at the playground, a trellis he is peeking through.  

Try taking a picture from above. Whether he is drawing, climbing, splashing, cooking. Take a picture from the perspective that you probably often have - looking toward his exciting activities from adult height.  

 Go somewhere pretty. This is at a meadow an hour hike from our house. N loved it, and didn't seem to mind my following him around and taking pictures. Especially since he was mid-cracker. 

Capture local looks. Here we are on a trip to Mexico. We got a lot of fun beach photos but this is one of my very favorites, of N checking out a statue in a stairwell where we were staying. The dramatic red walls and gorgeous statue cried out for a picture, and he wanted to be boosted up to see it anyway. On your trips, see what's unusual in the area. Is the town mascot a giant moose just inviting your toddler to climb on? Is there a series of multi-colored hoops waiting for bikes to be locked to them or toddlers to walk through all smiles? Is there a clock tower in the plaza that your child stares up at in wonder where you could get a good perspective shot?