Babies and young children have very short attention spans. Most successful shots are created by ensuring that the moment at which the shutter is pressed is the same moment as you capture the baby’s attention.
There are obviously many good shots taken when this is not the case, and you have just captured them as they play, this is fine too, but you will often have to wait much longer than if you take the ‘attention grabbing’ approach.
Use a small squeaky toy to catch the attention of a young child immediately before pressing the shutter; you will get some excellent expressions with this. Don’t over use it though or it loses its effectiveness. It’s by far most effective the first time you use it. What you will find is you get a look of surprise and inquisitiveness the first time they hear it and often a smile on the next couple of times, then it starts to wear thin, so use sparingly!
Another tip you may find useful is to place a small squeaky toy in your shirt pocket, then each time you hit your chest it squeaks!
Here’s another, slightly more controversial tip for getting attention, it works nearly every time for me, but may sound a little unusual, so again be careful.
Using a very soft fluffy toy it is often possible to get the attention of even a stubborn baby by suddenly and unexpectedly placing the toy against the baby’s face and moving the toy gently, just for an instant and then pulling the toy away. This tactile approach startles the child and most certainly gets attention. You will get a variety of instant reactions and potential expressions using this approach.
You must however check it out first with the parents to ensure they are ok with it. Used in the right way, gently and with tact it can be a saviour! If you feel uncomfortable about using it you could ask mum or dad to do it for you, instructing them that they must pull the toy out of shot very quickly, and you must be ready.
Here’s another. Have a screen (you could use a reflector screen) beside you and lift a funny toy over the top in ‘Punch and Judy’ fashion. This too almost always works, especially with children from 12 months to 3 years.
One of the most effective ways I’ve found of attracting the attention of a very young child is with a toy bubble maker. They are available in a variety of shapes and sizes and available at most toy stores, although I recommended that you avoid the ones shaped like guns because some parents may object to their use! A bubble maker operates on a simple mixture of soap and water, or a pre-mixed solution can be purchased. The bubbles not only distract the child and elicit a happy expression, but by aiming the bubble maker the child can be enticed into looking the direction you want them too. The bubbles can be directed out of the frame if you do not want bubbles in the shot, or used as an added feature.
We will go to any lengths! Ask mum to hit you on head from behind with a soft toy. Sounds violent, but watch kids who watch a Tom and Jerry cartoon, what gets most laughs from the children?
Yet another tip for you on this topic seems so obvious when you hear it but so few photographers use it…..a feather on the end of a long cane. Yes you guessed right, tickle babies feet! This works for me on more than 50 % of occasions.
Finally on this topic, it’s amazing how many farmyard animals I’ve learned to sound like! My clucking like a farmyard chicken almost always grabs attention; again you need to be quick.
Regards
Bobby | 