Google will tell you the golden age for having portraits of your new baby is 4-10 days and many newborn photographers will turn away babies any older than this as they rely on babies being super sleepy and super bendy for their workflows.
It's true to say from my own experience that the younger your baby is, the easier they tend to be to settle- fed, warm, dry and you're good to go! But it's not always practical for you and your new arrival to pop out for a photoshoot- maybe you're not feeling your best, you get an extended stay in hospital or you just forget to organise a shoot and I've not got any room to fit you in.
So I'm here to tell you that you can still get amazing baby pictures after the "newborn window" has closed with my handy guide of what to expect from every stage of your babies first year.
Newborn 4-14 days
The holy grail of baby photography! Newborn babies tend to sleep deeply and for a longer time which means they are easier to pose and transition from one set up to the next, meaning creating variety to your images is much easier for a newborn photographer. They are also quite bendy at this stage which means swaddled poses are a must, showing your baby to be cosy, curly and content.
If you really value this style of image it's best to get in touch with me after your second scan when you can let me know your due date and we can look at a date to book you in to the studio.
Of course, if baby is very early or overdue I always have "office days" in my diary where I can slot you in to, I always aim to be as flexible as possible with newborn bookings as there's so much we just can't predict about their arrivals.
4-10 weeks
Although baby isn't very capable of much independence at this stage what's beautiful about babies from 4 weeks onwards is that they are really starting to connect and become interactive, focusing on your voice and expressions and actually being able to focus their eyes on you! Plus they're still pretty tiny so getting those detail shots of little toes and teeny fingers is essential. They are normally quite alert at this age if we schedule during a good time of the day for them, but sometimes they will drift off to sleep allowing for some slightly more posed images as a little bonus!
12-20 weeks
I absolutley adore photographing babies at this stage. They're starting to get strong- physically and personality wise! Not only are their characters emerging, they're also starting to hold their head up independently and are getting more and more confident with tummy time which can lend itself perfectly to a portrait session with lots of variety.
And of course, by now we have major smiles and funny expressions to capture which are perfect for your family albums and wall art for your home.
6-9 months
At 6-9 months your baby comes in to their own! Rolling, tummy time, and confidently sitting- but not yet on the move! The giggles come fast, they're grabbing at their feet, they have adorable little squidgy baby rolls. They are just so much fun at this age, giggles, smiles and a real glint of personality in their eyes as they wonder at the world and people around them.
1 year
First birthdays. First time crawling. First time cruising and standing. First steps. First cake!
My first birthday shoots aim to highlight just how far they've come and show off all the skills they've mastered, where ever they are developmentally.
Are they standing? Crawling? Walking? A first birthday shoot records all this for you to enjoy and celebrate now and for them to look back at in years to come, with generations to come.
Choose from a classic portrait session or go all out with my Zero Waste cake shoots or full on Themed Cake Smashes.
This is one. This is who you baby is :)
Toddlers and beyond!
Once your toddler is on the move I say let's get outside! Toddlers love nature, they love to explore and be free to be a little wild and have fun fun fun! And this of course makes for the best, natural and fun portraits that are genuine moments and memories.
Puddle jumping, exploring the flowers, marvelling at a passing pup, chasing bubbles, chasing you! You chasing them and capturing them with a crescendo of cuddles and kisses. These aren't just photoshoots, these are a fun experience which celebrate you, your little wonders and all the love you have for each other.
Want to book with me?
Send me a message with your babies age and developmental stage or your due date and I'll help you on your photographic journey...
