Best Age to Have Professional Baby Photos Taken!

Guide For When To Book Your Baby Photography Session

There are so many incredible milestones that your brand new baby will experience during their first year of life!  If you are contemplating having professional baby photos taken,  there are some specific milestones that are the perfect time to document your growing family. These baby milestone ages can help in narrowing down selecting the best time to book in for your baby's photo session. From my experience taking professional newborn, baby and family photos for over eleven years, I have created the below guide which includes my recommendations on the most ideal ages for a portrait photography session to mark your baby’s first year of life.

Newborn photography session (7-14 days old)

For those parents that want to document their newborn baby’s first days of life, I recommend that you bring your brand new baby in when they are 7-14 days old. Once you know your due date and are in your second trimester this is a get time to get in touch with me to reserve a date for your professional newborn photo session.  When booking, we will select a specific date for your newborn photography session but do not worry should your newborn baby arrive early or later than expected. I always reserve some time before and after the date reserved specifically for you in the event that your brand new baby arrives before or after their anticipated due date.  

When newborn babies are photographed during this specific age range they are still very comfortable being all curled up as they were in their mother’s womb. This helps me in achieving those sleepy curled up newborn photography poses that so many parents fall in love with. In addition, usually any jaundice that your newborn baby might have had after delivery will also start to settle down by this point. From my years of experience as a professional newborn photographer, I have found that newborn babies that come in prior to the 6 week newborn milestone will still sleep quite deeply allowing me to photograph a nice variety of sleepy images for their parents. 

If you were unable to arrange a newborn photography session before your newborn baby turned six weeks old or you decided after your baby was born that you wanted to have professional newborn baby photos taken, it’s best to wait a little longer before hiring a professional photographer to document your growing newborn. I do still photograph newborn babies after the 6 week mark but the newborn portrait photography session is adapted slightly to accommodate your growing newborn baby.

As mentioned above, older newborn baby photography sessions are adapted to ensure your baby is still as comfortable and relaxed during their newborn portrait session as newborn babies that are younger in age. Once newborns are older than 14 days old, they are generally more awake during their baby photo session and are posed in less curly poses as their bodies at this point in their growth are more naturally stretched out. 

It is important to remember that no two newborn babies are the same, some older newborn babies will still love having their legs tucked up and others will love to have their legs stretched out. This is why it is so important to me that newborn baby photography sessions are baby-led which means I use your newborn baby’s cues when posing and photographing them. I will never force a newborn baby into a position that they are uncomfortable in as the health and safety of your brand new baby is my top priority. 

For all newborn sessions, I predominately use soft layers, furs, blankets and wraps to when photographing your baby which also helps to keep you newborn baby boy or baby girl feeling comfortable and secure during their photo session.  My studio is fully stocked with all that you will need for your newborn photo session so there is no need to bring any additional newborn outfits. 

3 month old baby milestone photography session

If you newborn baby is now approaching their 3 month milestone birthday, I’m sure you have noticed that they are starting to become more alert and expressive and might even be able to grab onto your fingers. This is why parent involvement is so essential during older baby photography sessions because your newborn baby is becoming more aware of their environment around them. Having mom, dad and any siblings close by and participating in the newborn photography session will help to keep your newborn baby more at ease. The images I capture of your newborn baby at this stage will reflect your 3 month old newborn baby using mostly natural poses on my professional posing newborn beanbag rather than in the newborn props I have available for younger newborn babies. 

When babies reach this 12-16 week milestone, they typically are full of expressions including smiling, laughing and may even giggle during their baby portrait photography session. These older newborn babies can also usually hold their heads up for a short period of time when on their tummy allowing me to document this incredibly special milestone for your baby. At this 12-16 week milestone age, these babies also tend to have more regular sleep patterns which allows us the opportunity to plan for your baby photoshoot at a time that is best suited for your baby. Three month old babies do come in all shapes and sizes so I usually recommend that parents bring a couple solid color rompers in neutral tones as the majority of the newborn wraps that I use will be too small to wrap your baby in fully. I will still use fabric layers, furs and wraps but in a creative draping fashion rather than swaddling your three month old baby.

6 - 8 month old baby milestone photography session

This is probably one of my favourite ages to photograph baby portraits. At this age babies are able to sit up on their own and love to gaze into the camera as they are very attentive to the world around them. If you have older children this is also a great time to have them join in on the photography session because having professional baby portraits of your growing baby and their older siblings will result in images to be cherished for many years to come. During six month old baby milestone photo sessions your baby is not quite on the move just yet, which allows me to photograph a series of adorable close-up baby portraits including images of all their cute expressions, detail images of their little toes and hands and even baby snuggles with their parents & siblings.

One year milestone photography session

It’s hard to believe but your newborn baby is turning 12 months old and is ready for their one year milestone photography session! This is a great time to have professional portraits taken of your baby that will show all of the growth they have had this past year but also all the love you share together as a family. Their personality has definitely started to shine through and perhaps your baby boy or baby girl has also already started to take their first steps! There is so much activity during this stage of development which makes it the perfect time to document your baby alone but also together as a family. I will usually recommend that we schedule your baby’s one year milestone birthday session after their nap time either in the morning or afternoon so that your baby will be fully rested for their portrait session.

If you are looking to have your one year milestone portrait session at an outdoor location, I typically schedule the session for either two hours after sunrise or two hours before sunset to ensure we have the most optimal light. Should you prefer a studio setting for your baby’s one year milestone photography session, I plan on one birthday themed set and then a second set that is more classic providing one year baby portraits that can be displayed throughout your home year round. I like to have everything selected and set up prior to your arrival so all of these details will be decided on during your pre-session styling consultation. For boys I usually recommend a suspender style romper or a diaper cover in a neutral tone with added accessories such as a bow tie. For little girls, a lace outfit, tutu dress or solid color ruffle romper works incredibly well and together we will ensure that the outfits you decide to include are cohesive with the background selection to keep you final baby portraits looking classic and timeless. 

During your initial consultation, we will discuss your baby and where they are at with respect to the above baby milestones and plan a baby photography milestone session that is best suited to your family. Whether you decide to have newborn baby photos taken during those first few days of life, at the sitter stage, on their first birthday or on all of the above important milestones, recording your baby’s first year of life through gorgeous professional baby portraits is an incredible gift not only to your family but to your child that they will have the opportunity to treasure these portraits for many years to come.

I would love the opportunity to document your growing family through gorgeous newborn portraits taken at my studio. If you are looking for a professional newborn photographer in Calgary, Alberta please get in touch with me below by scheduling a consultation so we can discuss creating a beautiful and custom newborn photography experience tailored just to your family. My newborn photography studio is fully licensed and insured with strict Covid-19 protocols in place to ensure the safety of everyone that enters into the studio.

Jillian Faulkner is a published and award winning professional newborn, child and family photographer in Calgary, Alberta that offers maternity, newborn, baby, child and family photography services in her home studio, outdoors and on-location. She is an active member of the National Association of Professional Child Photographers and the Professional Photographers of Canada. Jillian Faulkner Photography is a licensed and insured portrait photography studio that has been capturing family portraits since 2010. All of the portrait photography sessions Jillian photographs are designed with a personalized approach, a great attention to detail and exceptional custom service creating a portrait photography experience like no other. 

Should you want to learn more about the different types of newborn photography sessions available, I recommend reading a recent blog post by Michele Quattrin who is a Minneapolis newborn photographer. Her recent blog post provides a look into her studio and how she takes a minimalist approach to her newborn photography sessions!

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