Onwards and upwards we go with the ongoing posing series. Thus far in this series we’ve covered Newborns, 3 to 6 Months, and 8 to 12 months. This brings us to the busy but oh-so-sweet world of the 1 to 2 year old. This group is also luscious in so many ways, but is also on the move in a big way. Thus, the name of the game here is DISTRACTION. This age is all about containment and props.

I will reiterate here that there is a lot of crossover with the 8 to 12 month olds, but I don’t want to leave anything out in the event you are just checking this age group before a session. It never hurts to drive an idea home several times either, especially went it works well. The nice thing about this group is that they are a lot less oral than the previous group, so there are less items going in the mouth.

Okay, so off we go…

I’m going to start with the two pieces I never do without when working with this age group. The first one is my trusty bench that is about 1 foot from the ground. If you don’t have one of these now – go out and get one or have someone make one for you. It has been invaluable for this group.

It is great for various toys that you can often piece together as a wall display, storyboard, etc. It’s important to choose toys that don’t end up looking obnoxious in the photograph.

The next staple in my arsenal of necessities is a cute little chair that my friend with 5 kids donated to my business after her 5th hit a certain age. It has been AWESOME. Even when the child seems to have had enough, they rarely can resist this chair.

Next up… props that entertain the child and take the picture to the next level. The first one I will mention – that I’m sure many of you have – is a great set of interesting blocks. I have 2 sets that have served me very well.

The next prop that is a crowd pleaser at this age is definitely a small ball that a child can play with that also has something interesting on it.

And what would a session be without books! Kids love them. Make sure you have a couple of great ones with lots of color and pictures.

Next  up – something they can look into. This group is VERY curious!

Another option is to have them facing away from you – leaning on anything that is a good height. Once they are busy playing, do something to get their attention, and you will have a very sweet shot.

A window works really well if you’re an on-location photographer.

A container or swing can work well if the child is happy in there.

I know very few 1 to 2 year olds that don’t enjoy finding their belly button…

This group can get completely immersed in something they are interested in. Make sure to capture that intensity.

This age also LOVES to explore. Encourage that as much as possible.

And who doesn’t love hide and seek or peek-a-boo…

Make sure to take advantage of cute hats and clothing at this age…

Make sure to change it up with regards to cropping and angles, keeping the continuity of the location but adding variety to the images for the client.

And of course… don’t forget the eyelash shot, especially when the child has gorgeous lashes.

There you have it, my friends!

Let’s waste no time in getting to THE BOTTOM LINE…

• This is a big age for Props and Discovery
• Bring a trusty Bench that is about 1 foot high (that is also stable and sturdy)
• Invest in a unique child’s Chair
• Make sure you have a colorful and interesting Ball that isn’t too big
• Have one or two sets of interesting and colorful Blocks
• Play Peek-a-Boo (peeking out from under a blanket can be a lot of fun too)
• Let them Explore and Discover and make sure to capture their Interest
• Ask them about their Belly Button
• Have a Small Container they can peek into to where they will discover something fun
• Capture them looking out a Window
• Capture a multitude of different Crops and Angles
• Put them in something that Contains them for a moment or two
• Capture their Eyelashes
• Take advantage of cute Hats or fun Clothing
• Most of all Have Fun!!!

Thanks for sticking through it all! A number of subscribers have commented that they have found the Posing Series series the most helpful of the various posts thus far. If you are in that camp (or if you simply found this helpful today) – please SPREAD THE WORD in any way you can (‘Like’ it, email it, post about it in your forums, Facebook about it, etc.). These posts take time and effort and thus I would HUGELY appreciate the effort.

And yes – I’m also going to reach out to those that arrived on The Dedicated Photographer for the first time today. Don’t wait a second longer – subscribe by email or RSS in the right sidebar to get more valuable information directly into your inbox!

 

Technorati Tags: posing guide, props, Shooting Tips, toddlers

Tags: posing guide, props, Shooting Tips, toddlers