Does the idea of photographing a toddler scare you? What about a toddler together with a newborn, and add in another older sibling as well- having heart palpitations yet? You’re not alone.
If you would’ve asked me this 10 years ago, my answer might have been yes. But by now this is just another fun day at the studio for me. I love a good challenge, and over the past 13 years working with babies and kids of all ages, I’ve developed lots of tricks and strategies that I use to help me get the shot no matter who is involved. Here are my top 5 tips for getting a beautiful newborn sibling portrait with a toddler. Whether you’re a professional photographer or a mom wanting to capture your kids with your new baby, I hope you find some of these tips helpful.
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- Time it right. This may be the most important thing you do- schedule the session for a time that the toddler is usually happiest. Make sure they nap and eat beforehand! A well rested, fed toddler is a happy toddler. For the most part, at least. Of course, a simple thing like the wrong sippy cup can set them off, but just scheduling it for their “happy time” will increase your chances of getting their cooperation. Of course, also make sure your newborn is fed and content before you start.
- Prepare everything in advance. Toddlers have the attention span of, well, toddlers, so you don’t want them waiting around any longer than necessary before you begin the session. When photographing newborns with toddler siblings, I always do the siblings shot first so that we can get the toddler’s part over and done within the first 10 to 20 minutes. To achieve that, I have the entire setup completely ready before they arrive. Plan the pose, set and test the lighting, place the props, and make sure everything is perfect so that once they arrive you can start immediately. The sooner you start, the less time toddlers have to run around the studio wreaking havoc, and the sooner they can be done so you can get to the rest of the session. If you’re trying this as a mom at home, find a nice spot for pictures and make sure its clean, uncluttered, and has some good natural light.
- Choose an easy, comfortable pose. Now is not the time to try a complicated pose that requires sitting or standing just so. You want the toddler to be relaxed and comfortable so that they’re free to focus on you. My go-to pose for a newborn portrait with a toddler is laying them on their backs on a pile of soft blankets. The top most layer is the one that will match their clothes, and right under that one I put some small rolled up blankets to give their heads a bit of a lift so that they’re not laying completely flat. Always put the toddler in the pose last to give them the least amount of time to wriggle away and escape. Once you have everyone more or less in the pose, stand up on a stepstool or chair so that you’re shooting down from above. Moms at home- an easy pose you can do on a bed is have the toddler lay on their stomachs right near your baby, close to the edge of the bed. Then get down on their level so you’re right in front of them.
- Make some noise! You literally only have seconds to grab a toddler’s attention before they start moving, so once they’re in place you need to quickly start snapping. The trick is to work super fast, before the kids have a chance to even process what you’re doing. I usually use a puppet saying funny words in a really loud voice to get them to look at me, and as I talk I continuously shoot. Then, to get some giggles and smiles, I go a little further and start really playing with them. This part requires real dedication- you basically do anything you can to keep their eyes on you and to keep them from rolling away. Say “I’m gonna get you…” and quickly tickle them; play peek a boo; do a fake laugh really loudly; give a huge pretend sneeze with a teddy bear on your head- nothing is too weird when it comes to getting the shot! Loud squeaky toys (think dog toys) can work really well too. If things are going well and the toddler is cooperating and can follow some simple directions, you can try to get a sweet kissing the baby shot, or have them close their eyes for one photo. At this point if they’re trying to escape, just quickly put them back in their spot and make another funny noise, say a silly word, or jump up and down. Once they start whining when placed back in the pose you know your time is up. Which brings us to our last tip:
- Be realistic and don’t aim for perfection. Don’t stress out if you didn’t get the perfect shot, and don’t sweat over the details you got “wrong”. Photographing toddlers is a bit like playing catch with a ticking time bomb- if you made it through without an explosion, congratulate yourself and don’t worry about the few minor imperfections in the pose or the setup. Baby’s face too far from toddler sibling? Someone not positioned well, or looking away? A hand sticking out a bit awkwardly? (cough cough- see my photo above) Don’t worry. In 20 years from now, you will be so thrilled to have this memory captured and I guarantee you will not care about the small details. Your images will remind you what life with small kids was all about- messy, real, and perfectly imperfect.
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