ShutterBuddy Helps Get Baby's Attention for Photos
First-time parents Brendan and Molly Parnell of Atlanta, Georgia came up with the ShutterBuddy as a way to get and hold a baby's attention for a photograph. The Parnells says ShutterBuddy uses the science of infant vision development and pattern recognition to capture and hold a baby's attention. The device, which is designed with a black-and-white checkered pattern outlined in bright red, fits like a cone around a camera lens. Babies are enticed to look directly at the geometric pattern and right into the camera lens.
"We were making silly faces, jumping up and down and doing the many things that parents do to get babies to look at the camera. But our five-week-old daughter, Audrey, refused to cooperate," said Brendan Parnell. "We were desperate. The small window between Audrey's sleeping and eating time was closing, which she was making very clear. And the voice of my mother-in-law pressuring me to send her the perfect holiday photo of her granddaughter was ringing in my head. After an 'ah ha' moment, I quickly created a bold geometric drawing and taped it to the camera. It absolutely captivated Audrey, allowed us to get a perfect photo, and was the start of ShutterBuddy."
