Now that your little guy or gal is two-years-old, it is time to get pedaling! Before the age of two, your little one would likely have a great deal of trouble reaching the pedals and finding the strength and coordination it takes to push the pedals. After the age of two, however, he or she should be ready to start exploring the great big world of three-wheeled mobility! And, of course, you will want to be sure to capture this special time in your child’s life with some great photos. Here’s a look at some pictures to get you inspired.

Finding the Right Angle

As with any photo, finding the right angle or choosing the right perspective will result in an amazing photo. The following photos are excellent examples of how the angle and perspective you choose can result in a truly memorable picture.

The wide angle used with this photo does an excellent job of demonstrating how big the world is that your little one is getting ready to explore.

At the same time, you can get a similar affect by taking a close up photo, such as the one below.

Not only does this photo do an excellent job of capturing the wonder and curiosity of the little boy as he rides his tricycle, the colors in the photo are very vibrant while the blurred flowers in the background create an almost dream-like quality.

The same is true of the photo below. Although this photo does not include as much of the surrounding landscape, you can clearly see the road ahead that is left to be conquered. Again, color plays an important role in this photo, as the child is very colorful while the landscape is darker and muted. This draws the attention to the child while still creating a sense of exploration. The photo is made even more charming by the fact that this little guy is taking his teddy bear along for the ride.

The angle used with the following photo also does an excellent job of demonstrating what a massive undertaking it can be to ride a tricycle. It looks like this little guy is taking a break!

Going Black and White

Although color can go along way toward making your tricycle photos more memorable, black and white photos will be a lovely addition to your photo album as well. As can be seen with this photo, taking it in black and white helps create a more classic, child-like feeling than it would have been in full color.

The same is true of this black and white photo, which does a great job of capturing the look of determination on this little cyclist’s face.

This little girl looks quite proud of her accomplishments as well.

Feeling the Emotion

Of course, your photo doesn’t have to be taken in black and white in order to successfully capture the look of determination on your little one’s face.  With the photo below, for example, capturing a full color side view of your determined child on his or her tricycle can create a truly adorable photo.

Going for a ride on his or her trike will also likely make your little one feel quite proud. So, you might want to try to capture this look as well. This little girl, for example, appears to be quite pleased with herself.

As does this little girl (and don’t you just love the fact that she still found the time to get all gussied up in her little dress before going for a ride?)

Getting Crazy with the Trike

Once your little guy or gal starts to become more comfortable with the tricycle, it is almost guaranteed that he or she will start to get a bit wilder. This little girl, for example, has decided that she doesn’t need to wear any pants while riding her tricycle!

This guy, on the other hand, is wearing his safety gear as he starts to experiment with some trick riding.

This little girl is taking it a step further and feels ready to stand on her seat as she rides.

And, all you moms out there, it is inevitable that daddy (or uncle, or grandpa or virtually any other man you know) will want to reclaim his past by hopping on the tricycle and showing your little one how it is done. So, make sure to have a camera handy and to snap a photo of this fiasco so you can show him just how ridiculous he really looked!

Congratulations!  Your little guy or gal is now 2 years old - and that means you are now well into the toddler stage.  Even if your little one still hasn’t mastered the art of walking upright, he or she is definitely getting curious, which means you are probably starting to have a very difficult time keeping up with your little speed demon.  And, along with this newfound mobility and curiosity, your little one is going to start getting into all kinds of messes! While it may be a bit frustrating at the time, these messes can make for some great photographic opportunities that can result in some truly precious pictures that you will cherish for years to come.

I Want to be a Rock Star!!!

Perhaps one of the favorite areas for toddlers to explore is your cabinetry.  If you have done a good job of baby proofing your house, these cabinets probably don’t contain much of anything other than pots and pans.  After all, your little guy or gal can’t get hurt from pots and pans, right?  While this may be true, it might be time for you to start worrying about your pots and pans once your little one reaches the toddler stage!

As the picture below shows, it won’t take long for your toddler to discover what is hidden away in those cabinets - and, boy, won’t he be proud of his discovery!

Once he finds out what is inside the cabinets, it will only be a matter of moments before he starts to find new, creative uses for your cooking utensils.  Using them as a hat, as shown in the picture below, is one favorite choice.

Or, your little guy or gal may decide to use the pots and pans as building blocks and see how high they can be stacked!

Of course, if your little one has seen you cook with your pots and pans, he or she may try to do the same thing on his own.  Sautéed toddler, anyone?  This little guy seems to be happy to be tonight’s dinner!

When it comes to snapping photos of your little one playing with pots and pans, you certainly can’t forget to capture the “Wow!  I can make lots of noise with these things!” photo.

But, if you want to be creative, you might want to snap the photo from above rather than getting down to the same level as your little one. . As the photo below shows, this can create a truly interesting perspective.

Of course, the look on this little guy’s face really helps take the photo to a whole new level!

My Name is Mud

Another new discovery that your toddler will enjoy exploring is mud.  Sometimes, your little one will get a little help with making this discovery, such as is the case in the photo below.

That’s what big brothers are for, right?

After your little one makes this discovery, the possibilities will be endless, such as with this little girl in her pretty, pink dress who doesn’t seem to see anything wrong with being covered in mud.

If you are looking to add a little more interest to your scrapbook, however, you might want to capture an action photo of your little one as he or she splashes around in the ooey, gooey stuff, such as in the photo below.

The Whole World is Fun to Explore!

Your toddler’s messes will hardly be constrained to just mud puddles and pots and pans.  After all, there is a whole world out there just waiting to be explored.  For example, in addition to the kitchen being home to cabinets filled with pots and pans, the refrigerator also contains fun stuff to play with (and some of it even looks a bit like mud, and we know how much fun that can be!).

There are also crayons, markers and paints to play with - and they are a whole lot more fun when they are used on our own bodies rather than on paper and canvas!

Even things we adults fail to see as being a source of fun can bring a whole lot of joy to our little ones.  It looks like this one wore himself out having a great time with the clothes in the laundry basket.

Let’s just hope his hands weren’t covered in blue marker, mud or chocolate pudding before he started playing with the load of laundry!

And, when all is said and done, you can’t help but smile when you see the sense of pride your little one shows after a job well done with making a mess of your home.

My parents have everything. They buy themselves what they need and most of what they want. It’s so hard to find the only gadget Dad’s toolbox lacks, or anything for Mom that doesn’t create clutter. I’ve found that the best present usually contains my son’s face in some form. For gifts bearing your baby’s image, enter your new best friend: Personalization Mall.

Mini Canvas

Available Features

If you can dream it up, they probably have it! Is Dad a golfer? Get the photo golf balls. Is Grandma a jigsaw puzzle fanatic? Get a puzzle featuring all the kids! Neckties, mouse pads, and mugs, oh my! The choices will leave you with a new dilemma: what to choose?

Don’t forget gifts for other people. My best friend’s birthday gift was an adorable canvas made from a close-up snapshot of her daughter. My husband gets a new coffee mug each Christmas with my favorite shots of him with our son. As a group gift for his great-grandmother, I’m thinking of an afghan of the whole family.

While the frequently asked questions section offers tips for common inquiries, customer service is an e-mail away, with reply guaranteed in 24 hours. Of course, if you prefer to telephone, you may do so during business hours of 8-5 CST.

Processing and Shipping

Messenger Bag

Processing generally takes 1-2 business days, after which your item ships. I have purchased multiple gifts in the past two years and have always received my items promptly as promised.

As for shipping times, Personalization Mall offers standard shipping to the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. UPS 2^nd day air, Express Next Day, and Express Saturday are available to the contiguous United States only. See site for rates.

The prices for personalized photo items of the quality offered is unmatched. For the purpose of this piece, I found 15 fabulous gifts for under $25 (see list below).

If a problem occurs, Personalization Mall has a very generous policy. If the mistake is theirs, they will replace the item or refund the purchase price immediately. If the mistake is made by the customer, a 30% discount is offered for replacement.

Callaway Golf Balls

For gift-giving occasions for everyone, check out Personalization Mall.

Coffee Mug

 You can’t go wrong with your baby’s mug on a mug! Happy hunting.

15 great photo gifts for under $25

Mouse pad $12.95

Necktie $22.95

Mini canvas $23.95

T-shirt $19.95

Apron & Potholder $16.95

Canvas Tote $20.95

Marble Plaque $24.95

Note cube $22.95

Round Jigsaw Puzzle $18.95

Coasters $24.95

Folded Notes $24.95

Cookie Tin $9.95

Baby’s First Christmas Plate $22.95

Sonogram Ornament $14.95

Panoramic Magnetic Display (great for Aunt Frances’ fridge) $14.95

Other great gifts

Photo playing cards $29.95

Photo Rubik’s cube $29.95

Born to be a Dad: A Special Layout

I created this layout for my husband, Matthew, celebrating the many ways he loves our son, Elias. The photos were taken several months apart and have very different energy - one of Matthew kissing Elias right after he was born and one more recently of the two of them playing. The very different pictures together showcase two sides of their relationship. I recommend not always using pictures taken on the same day or at the same event when scrapbooking sentiments. Oftentimes the most meaningful layouts come together when pictures from different times are used. This layout is a great example of that. Be sure to journal about what makes your husband or dad a great father.

You are My Masterpiece: An Altered Card

I created this simple, but fun and artsy one-sided card using a single photo, some patterned paper scraps, rub-ons, buttons and mod-podge. It took about 15 minutes to put together, but the result is so darling! I recommend cutting the background out of the photo to really make it pop on the card. Also, make sure not to use to busy of a patterned paper so that it doesn’t distract from the image. I plan to set it on my husband’s nightstand Sunday morning so it is there when he wakes up on Father’s Day. You could also put a magnet on the back so your husband could take it to work and hang it on a filing cabinet or desk.

One of a Kind: A Greeting Card

Rather than giving Hallmark $3, make your own card. It doesn’t have to be elaborate to be treasured by the dad in your life. I made this card for my dad, from Elias. I cut out a photo of the two of them, stamped a flourish on the top and bottom of the card and stamped the message One of a Kind on a circle Martha Stewart sticker.

Bookmark

If your child’s dad is a reader, why not make a bookmark with a photo of your child and a simple quote. Simply glue a photo to a 2×7 piece of cardstock with a quote, such as “Dad, you’re someone to look up to no matter how tall I’ll grow” and the date. Laminate it using a Xyron machine or laminator and stick it in your husband’s favorite book.

Whatever you create, I guarentee it will touch the dad or dads in your life.

Week #1 Winner, Christian

Week #2 Winner, LaQuinn

Week #3 Winner, Jan

Week #4 Winner, Nixie

Week #5 Winner, Kendall

Week #6 Winner, Kendall

Week #7 Winner, Dominic

Week #8 Winner, Mercy Jo

Week #9 Winner, Turner

Week #10 Winner, Addy

Week #11 Winner, Haven

Week #12 Winner, Andrew

We wanted to award the grand prize to a photo that exemplifies what our readers have learned about baby photography both creatively and technically. After some careful consideration and debate our judges have picked Mercy Jo from Week 8.

Grand Prize Winner, Mercy jo

Congratulations to Mercy Jo! The colors and composition of the photo are a nice contrast and the emotional expression is memorable.

Thats it for the My Baby Photos! Contest. But don’t stop the pictures from coming. We encourage you to submit your best baby photos on our flickr group http://www.flickr.com/groups/mybabyphotos/
and at facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=71918424376