Portraits without eye contact are often some of my (and my clients') favorites! That said, eye contact can also draw viewers into your images and really show off the personalities of the children you photograph. If you're entering said images into image competitions, eye contact can immediately connect a judge to your subject. It's typically pretty simple to get eye contact from older kids, but some of the youngest subjects can also be the trickiest to photograph! Here are some of my tried-and-true methods for getting eye contact from little ones:

1. Make it clear that you will be the one getting the child to look at you. Moms and dads want to be helpful, but this can mean young children don't know where to look. Give parents a job to do, whether that is to simply relax and enjoy each other's company or to keep an eye on the other kids you aren't photographing at the moment. You can let them know that if you are the only person interacting with their toddler for a few short minutes, it's much more likely that they'll get those "looking" shots for grandma and grandpa.

2. Before you point your camera at them, let the child warm up to you. If you do a pre-session consultation or survey, wonderful! If not, knowing even a little bit about your subjects is going to help your session run smoothly. Interact with the kids a bit before you put your face behind your camera. Once they're ready, be prepared!

3. Call to them by name. Sometimes all it takes for an older baby to look my way is to call their name! Bring your camera down for a split-second, give baby a big smile, and often you'll receive a big ol' grin in return. Be sure you're ready to capture that smiling face!

4. Know before you go. What is your client's goal for the session? Do they really want a certain shot? The first half of the session is when you're likely going to receive the most cooperation from children, so go for those "must have" images first.

5. Be patient. No matter the age of the kids, patience is key. Be ready to snap that shutter when they look your way.