Shooting my 2 year-old niece birthday party...

[TooManyShots]

Would like to hear from photographers who normally shoot kid's birthday party for their clients. I am concerning about the dreadful snap shots nature of it. The party would be indoor, inside a somewhat big living room. So you have furniture, TV, sofa, and chairs around the living room. Using natural light is out of the question. I have 2 speedlites that would handle the low light issues. I am trying to avoid capturing snap shots with a TV or a chair in the background. Or even one of the parents' legs are in the way because the kids are playing to near to their parents.

[suecassidy]

How old are the kids?

[suecassidy]

Never mind, that would be 2 years old, like the subject line says...

[advaitin]

My basic tool, other than camera and lens, when shooting toddlers, babies, and active pre-schoolers is kneepads.

There are times when it's good to shoot straight down, but more often you'll get better stuff at their level. Furniture and adults are just background. I have shot from the low-crawl position, too. Wear appropriate clothing, things can get messy.

In the two samples, one is a scan from years ago. I bounced flash while I was lying on the floor, despite the slightly tilted background, the mom loved the happy baby look. Second shot was outdoor watermelon eating with several kids. I just held the camera down at their level and clicked the shutter without seeing what I was doing when there was no way to get down quickly enough. This off-center shot captured just enough of the dad's expression to show his love. Surprisingly, I get a lot of good shots this way. And I prefer natural light when I can get it.