# Advice needed for shooting toddlers...



## Rosy (May 3, 2014)

OK...I should have phrased that differently!

Honestly though I have NO patience.  Not so much with the 20 month old that won't sit still BUT with the mom that finds it totally OK for the kid to come running a jab a stick in my lens...(almost).  I know there are tricks and I am pleading for ADVICE.  Mom wants me to sing for the kid and pretty much chase her around and around...and around some more

This my friends is an isolated case.  One particular kid.  It started as a favor and mom will buy an 11x14 print from each session.  She comes every month

Suggestions....suggestions on how to avoid a situation like this in the future

I do like kids.  I have 4 and I think they love me


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## weepete (May 3, 2014)

Desert Eagle, good close range and they don't move too much afterward. Use 125th sec to freeze the twitching  

JK

sounds like you need an activity or something to keep the kid amused. If they are active kids shoot action shots. Invent a game where the run about lots, jump off stuff and get the shots. You could even put in a freeze challenge where if they freeze for 10 seconds they get a jelly bean or something. If they are old enough show them the images on your camera, praise them loads. Kids really respond to praise, and a challenge.


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## Rosy (May 3, 2014)

thanks for the tips.  I think Mom, though is a major culprit.  Sister has come before and the shoot was amazing.  I'll definitely look into your suggestions


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## pixmedic (May 3, 2014)

Diprivan @ 3mg/kg IVP


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## weepete (May 3, 2014)

Yep, the parents are the culprit. But that's something you cant do anything about, what you can do is engage with the kid, try different things and if it doesn't work abandon it and do something else. It sounds to me like this kid has a lot of energy, so rather than trying to get them to sit still redirect their attention to somthing they want to do. I got a great photo of a friend's kid that was a bundle of fun playing hide and seek and caught her peeking through a door while I was at a wedding.

Kids can be tough, unpredictable and extremley difficult if the parents are a bit lax. But they all love games, espesially if they win


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## Rosy (May 3, 2014)

pixmedic said:


> Diprivan @ 3mg/kg IVP



Send me some


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## Derrel (May 3, 2014)

What? You're worried about _a toddler_ with _a stick_ hurting your lens??? WATCH THIS video--this is a grown man with a ballpoint pen, and then a CLAW HAMMER, POUNDING on the front element of a cheap Canon 50/1.8, the Plastic Fantastic...


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## Rosy (May 3, 2014)

Derrel said:


> What? You're worried about a toddler with a stick hurting your lens??? WATCH THIS video--this is a grown man with a ballpoint pen, and then a CLAW HAMMER, POUNDING on the front element of a cheap Canon 50/1.8, the Plastic Fantastic...
> 
> YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzOLbMPe0u8



Dang....but I'll stick to Pixmedic's advice


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## mrs.hankIII (May 3, 2014)

I would prefer a .45 1911. Toddlers are too nosy to take from long range.

Sorry. I have a 2 year old and nothing keeps his attention or his energy contained. So I'm of no use.


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## tirediron (May 3, 2014)

Don't lead them too much.


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## vintagesnaps (May 5, 2014)

Since some kids are more active than others (and some parents have different standards on how they expect their children to behave) maybe have some toys that would be fun for a photo but would give the child a way to use up some of that energy (besides running, which is probably indicating the child needs to be doing something physical). Maybe a toy drum? toy plastic hammer and workbench? (yes, the noisy stuff...lol) or soft blocks to build up and knock down etc. Or less noisy - soft child/toddler size bean bags, I've made blocks out of brown paper grocery or lunch bags filled with newspaper and taped closed (which of course don't last too long and wouldn't be cute for a picture I guess unless you can find some colorful ones), or I've always found kids like bubbles. 

Or in nice weather besides bubbles there might be some outdoor play toys like those lightweight plastic balls. I've used child sized hula hoops to have them stand in the circle, or carpet squares, or on a playground draw some chalk circles/shapes - can be a good way to direct them. Sometimes young children do better with a physical prompt or guideline, like to stand in the circle, on the mat/carpet square etc. so they understand better where you want them. 

I'd often give kids a choice of two, do you want the ___ or the ___? to help give them some control over their environment (if they're in that stage of becoming more independent). I always did what we call redirection, saying something like 'we don't poke people w/a stick' - or in this case people's cameras! - then show them something that's OK to do with the stick (banging an upside down toy sand bucket or stirring the sand etc.) or redirect them to something else similar that's OK to do, like playing w/a toy drum. 

Sometimes kids will respond to an older child, maybe the older sib could be a helper (tell mom what you want to do, ask if it's OK) and the older one can often model what you want done, then the younger one may go do it too, make a little game of it so it's fun. You could have a carpet square too, and give mom one maybe next to or behind you, and everybody stand on your square, smile at mommy, etc. 

Different things work with different kids, maybe ask mom what this child likes and see what you can come up with.


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## Rosy (May 5, 2014)

vintagesnaps said:


> Since some kids are more active than others (and some parents have different standards on how they expect their children to behave) maybe have some toys that would be fun for a photo but would give the child a way to use up some of that energy (besides running, which is probably indicating the child needs to be doing something physical). Maybe a toy drum? toy plastic hammer and workbench? (yes, the noisy stuff...lol) or soft blocks to build up and knock down etc. Or less noisy - soft child/toddler size bean bags, I've made blocks out of brown paper grocery or lunch bags filled with newspaper and taped closed (which of course don't last too long and wouldn't be cute for a picture I guess unless you can find some colorful ones), or I've always found kids like bubbles.
> 
> Or in nice weather besides bubbles there might be some outdoor play toys like those lightweight plastic balls. I've used child sized hula hoops to have them stand in the circle, or carpet squares, or on a playground draw some chalk circles/shapes - can be a good way to direct them. Sometimes young children do better with a physical prompt or guideline, like to stand in the circle, on the mat/carpet square etc. so they understand better where you want them.
> 
> ...



Thank you so much for these tips


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## jayohphotography (May 6, 2014)

Rosy said:


> OK...I should have phrased that differently!
> 
> Honestly though I have NO patience. Not so much with the 20 month old that won't sit still BUT with the mom that finds it totally OK for the kid to come running a jab a stick in my lens...(almost). I know there are tricks and I am pleading for ADVICE. Mom wants me to sing for the kid and pretty much chase her around and around...and around some more
> 
> ...


oh my, i know how you feel! I try to do those outside, dont chase them though, they will always try to run away and you will get nothing but their back. indoor? Ask the mom what their fav show is, put it on a tablet and let her hold it behind you so they can watch. Maybe have her bring him an hour before nap time, some kids are just mellow, others get cranky... if hes gets cranky well that wont work either....


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## Islesfan91 (May 6, 2014)

> I'd often give kids a choice of two, do you want the ___ or the ___?



this reminds me of my parents and fill in the blanks with "stick" and "belt"

I'm no good with children and have none of my own so I'm no good for help in this thread, but that one line above had me snorting coffee out of my nose when my mind filled in the blanks


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## paigew (May 6, 2014)

Honestly it kinda IS your job to get the kid to look at you/sit still. If he has a stick, watch your lens! LOL. He is a 20 month old! Give the kid something to do. Put him in something...a chair, on a big rock, a wagon? bike? Holding balloons? Picking a flower? Ask him to do something. "hey...do you know how to climb? do you think you could climb on that stump?". How fast are you? Can you race to me? "on your mark, get set...go"! At my last session I finally got a smile when I fake sneezed. I ended up fake sneezing for like 20 minutes. 

Tickle. Talk about his favorite tv show. Favorite toy, birthday, etc. Be ready. I don't go lower than 1/320 for my shutter speed. I shoot wide open (2.8) I shoot on AI SERVO mode.


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