While digital photos make it easier to get instant gratification from viewing the shots you’ve captured, your kids may make getting those perfect shots near impossible. Babies and toddlers are challenging subjects, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get beautiful photos of your little ones to treasure over the years.

Here are some tips that will help you succeed with getting photos of your children from babies to toddlers.

- Use this trick to get them to look at you

If you want to get your baby or toddler to look at you for the photo, make noise from behind your camera. You can make the noise yourself or use a toy, just be sure it’s directly behind your smartphone or camera and you’ll wind up with that perfect shot.

- Enlist your toddler’s help

Little ones are notorious for wanting to help, so if you have an antsy toddler, this tip should make things easy. Point out something like a rock or leaf and tell them you need their help holding it down. Have them step right on it with their foot to “hold it in place” for you. Then you’ll get a photo of your toddler standing exactly where you want him.

- Place babies on their backs

Newborns can’t sit on their own anyway, so let them work with you in this way. If you also have a toddler too, you can have them lay next to each other. You’ll be able to hover over them and get the picture with them looking right at you.

- Don’t do it alone

You may think you can handle the photography for your baby or toddler, or even both of them at once. But having another adult around can make the whole process go more quickly. It’s a bonus if they can help stand by you once your little ones are positioned so they can make goofy faces that will have their gaze at the camera.

- Plan on the right time

It is never a good idea to try to engage your children for photos when they’re tired and cranky or hungry. Make sure your kids are well-rested and fed before you try to hold a photography session.

- Keep busy hands from going wild

With toddlers, some can’t keep still. They’ll fling their hands about and get into everything. To keep them from doing this during your photo shoot, give them something small like stickers, coins, or candy to hold in their hands. Tell them they can keep them after you take the photos, but only if they don’t let go of them and keep their hands still.

And of course, if you want to be in the photos as a family too, you can set a timer. However, be prepared for that to be a bit more complicated. You can always hire a professional photographer, though make sure you choose one that is familiar in photography with little ones so you have the best experience.