The most difficult subjects to photograph are baby/toddlers, when they have just discovered the joy of running. Away from the photographer and from mom. They do not stay still for a second. Every single photo I have is a candid shot because had no concept of posing. We tried sitting him in a bed of flowers/ in a sand pit/ on a grassy knoll and immediately he got up and ran away.We eventually figured out some tricks. He had an attraction to moss-covered sticks, so I collected a few and held them in front of him, carrot-donkey style. He paused was when presented with a problem, such as how to surmount physical barriers, like park benches. So we intentionally went over barriers, and as he tried to follow, he slowed enough so that he was not a blur.
With all this barrier climbing, running to catch up with/ get in front of my subject, squats/ laying on grass/ standing atop objects to get interesting angles, and pretty much constant moving while photographing and thinking of happy, encouraging things to say to small children, not to mention carrying a hefty camera, it's no wonder I'm exhausted by photography!