Taking Birthday Photos at Home With Just an iPhone (Because Toddlers Don’t Make It Easy)

Every year, I tell myself I’m going to take just a few cute birthday pictures—and every year, my toddler treats it like he’s headlining a world tour and the paparazzi won’t leave him alone. But listen… as chaotic as it gets, I genuinely love our little DIY photoshoot tradition.

No studio. No lighting setup. No photographer named something like “Skylar Sunbeam.”Just us, an iPhone, and a toddler who wakes up ready to negotiate like he’s on a contract tour with Live Nation.

This year, our photos were extra fun because his birthday theme was Warped Tour—so obviously that energy carried straight into the pictures. Once the real-life tour announced it was coming back, choosing the theme felt spiritually correct. So, we ran with it. Balloons, outfit, vibes… all pop-punk toddler perfection.

The Balloon Wake-Up Tradition

We started this tradition last year and instantly knew it was a keeper. We fill his room with balloons before he wakes up—on-theme colors, of course—so the first thing he sees on his birthday is pure, happy chaos.

This year’s Warped Tour balloon moment? Absolutely elite. Sleepy eyes. Bedhead. Balloons everywhere. It’s the kind of scene that looks adorable in photos… but also like a music video opener.

Mini Photoshoot Around the House

After the initial balloon excitement, we slipped him into his birthday outfit and did some shots in his room, then moved to our main floor. Different lighting, different backdrop, same toddler who refuses to smile until he's good and ready.

We also kept up one of my favorite traditions: the photo within a photo. Each year we take his birthday picture and frame it. Then the next year, he holds the framed photo for the new birthday picture. It’s sweet, it’s sentimental, and it creates the cutest time-capsule series.

Toddlers + Photos = A Workout

Here’s the truth: photographing a toddler is like trying to capture a fast-moving cryptid. They don’t pose. They don’t smile. They don’t stay still unless snacks are involved. And even then… questionable.

But I do have one tip that has truly saved me:

⭐ Buy a tripod with a Bluetooth clicker.

It keeps your phone steady while you do the unhinged parent tricks behind the camera—silly dancing, high-pitched noises, dramatic gasps—whatever it takes to get a halfway-decent smile.

If You Love a Clean, Studio Look

If you want those simple, crisp backgrounds, grab a backdrop stand and some photo backdrop paper in your favorite color or birthday theme. It makes your living room look like a mini studio without the price tag.

Items I Recommend for At-Home Toddler Birthday Photos

Here’s everything I personally use or recommend to make the process easier (and the photos cuter):

Phone Tripod 60”: https://amzn.to/3K67dhY 

8x10 Frame: https://amzn.to/4p9HbJy 

Birthday Checkered Outfit: https://amzn.to/4i3sC8a 

Balloon Pump Electric: https://amzn.to/47MPoOd

Chrome Metallic Balloons and Confetti Balloons: https://amzn.to/4phxngD

Backdrop Stand 10x7ft: https://amzn.to/4plm8nK

Seamless Photography Photo Backdrop Paper: https://amzn.to/4i7oQL6

Disclaimer

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my little corner of the internet — it helps me keep creating and sharing content like this! 🖤 💚