Every parent is smitten by their new baby – as you should be! I know you want to capture every milestone. While I certainly recommend a good camera (an entry level SLR is perfect) for capturing lots of candids, it’s important to have professional pictures of your baby as well. So, the next big question is when should that be done? Actually there are stages, more so than ages, when pictures will be the best.
The first one is newborn. Ideally around 5 to 10 days old. The baby is usually eating full meals by now but still in that super sleepy stage. Baby acne and peeling skin hasn’t started and they still look new. It’s amazing how fast they change! This portrait session is inside by a bright window so the naked baby stays nice and toasty warm. Here is more information on a newborn session.
To truly capture all stages, the next is the rolly polly stage around 3 or 4 months, they’ve found their toes and can prop themselves up on the elbows. At this stage there’s not as much to do with them from a photography perspective, except that some of the headshots at this age are my favorites. It also completes an almost quarterly photography schedule for the first year of the baby’s life. Usually this will be outside, in the grass or on a blanket. A mini session is perfect for this age.
The next stage is sitting up – really well – but not trying to crawl. This can be anywhere from 5 to 8 months. The baby needs to be sitting up for an extended amount of time without falling over, so a parent doesn’t need to steady them (though you will always be within reach!). Babies also tend to think their parents are hilarious during this stages so lots of cute smiles. Once they start leaning forward and trying to crawl, we’ve lost their attention. This photo session is one where we can take full advantage of the scenery, benches, flowers, doors, etc. – there are so many cute places to put them! This, along with newborn, is my favorite age to photograph. A perfect time to update the family pictures while the baby is still cooperating.
The final “baby” stage is the standing, but not quite off and running stage. This is somewhere around one year old. The baby is interested in standing and may be taking a few steps. Holding onto things is fine. Again, once they are walking confidently, it’s hard to get them to stop or slow down or look up. This is an outdoor session as well, with plenty of room to let them explore.
Sometimes these stages are a little hard to predict. But it’s better to contact me early, even for a tentative date, so we can plan ahead for the best pictures at the perfect time. The first year will fly by. I look forward to capturing those fleeting moments and memories for you!
