Photographing toddlers and kids: tips that actually work

Toddlers do not pose, and older kids pose a little too much. Here is how to get natural, sharp photos of both without a meltdown, yours or theirs.

Tips that work on any phone

The trick with toddlers is to stop treating them as sitters. You are not posing a portrait; you are following a very small, very fast person who happens to be adorable.

Drop "look at me" and give them a game

Commands tend to make toddlers do the opposite. Try a game instead: "Can you show me your loudest lion?" or "Where did the ball go?" Photograph the play, and expect the look to the lens when they check whether you are still watching.

Get down to their level

Crouch, kneel or sit on the floor. A camera at kid height gives you faces instead of the tops of heads, and you look less like a looming adult with a gadget.

Choose soft light

Window light indoors or open shade outdoors is easier on small faces than harsh midday sun. Skip the flash in close-up portraits; it startles, and daylight is usually enough.

Keep it short

Five or ten minutes is plenty. Bring a snack, stop before they are done and finish on a high. Let them see the photo afterwards: kids love checking the picture, and it buys you another round.

Older kids: give them a job

For school-age kids, a little direction goes a long way. Let them pick the spot, ask them to look at something just past the lens, or count down from three together. Candid laughs often arrive right after the "official" photo ends, so keep the camera ready.

Shoot several frames

Expressions change in a heartbeat. Shoot several frames as the moment unfolds and choose later, rather than waiting for one perfect shot.

Give them something to look at

On an iPhone Duo, while the phone is open and AnyFront's camera is running, the cover screen faces your child. From the inner screen you decide what it shows: any photo or video from your library, one of eight original animations (the app calls them grabbers) such as Bouncy Ball, Silly Face or Rainbow Spiral, or a live mirror of the shot.

Let your child help pick. A video of their favorite thing, or a photo of the dog, often gets a better look than anything else. Older kids may enjoy the live mirror for checking their own smile. Switching is quick and you stay in the camera, so if one idea flops, you can try the next without stopping the game.

The cover screen showing a library photo of a sunflower field, as the person in front of the phone sees it.

The Cover Screen sheet on the inner screen: a Show on cover screen switch, tabs for Grabbers, Photo, Video and Mirror, and the eight animation tiles.

For clarity: the manual camera is free on every compatible iPhone, and the cover-screen extras are a one-time unlock on iPhone Duo, with no subscription. The cover-screen camera page explains how it works, and the FAQ answers the practical questions.

Manual controls for kids who never stop moving

A faster shutter

Running, jumping and spinning need a fast shutter. Choose SHUTTER in the control row and start around 1/500 s for outdoor play; 1/250 s is a sensible floor for indoor wriggling. A faster shutter lets in less light, so raise ISO to compensate. A little grain is easier to live with than a blurred face.

An iPhone with ISO selected: a ruler dial set to ISO 400 sits under the viewfinder.

Lock focus where they will be

Tap to focus on the bottom of the slide, the doorway or the sandpit edge, then use AE/AF lock and wait for your subject to arrive. It is more reliable than chasing a moving child across the frame. Use focus peaking to check that the eyes, not the ears, are the sharpest part.

Exposure compensation for backlit playgrounds

Kids in front of a bright sky or a sunny window often turn into silhouettes. Raise EV until faces look right, and watch the zebras so the sky does not blow out completely.

Use the timer to join in

Prop the phone on a shelf or a tripod, set the timer, press the shutter and step into the frame. Family pictures need all of you in them. On a Duo, the rear cameras plus the cover screen make this even easier: see selfies with the rear cameras on iPhone Duo.

Quick checklist

Offer a game rather than an order.
Lens at kid height, close to the floor for toddlers.
Window light or open shade, no flash up close.
Sessions of five to ten minutes, with a snack nearby.
Shutter around 1/500 s outdoors, no slower than 1/250 s indoors.
Pre-focus on a spot, then AE/AF lock.
EV up for backlit scenes.
Shoot several frames and let them see the result.

The short version

Play with them, get low, keep it short and use a fast shutter. Younger one at home? Read how to get a baby to look at the camera. Four-legged family? See how to get a dog or cat to look at the camera. Every control above is listed on the features page.