One of the most frequent questions I discuss with clients is the best ages to have photographed of their growing baby. Here are the key ages I recommend and some of the characteristics of the portraits that are generally captured:
Newborn (1-28 days)
Whenever possible, really recommend capturing your baby when they are a tiny newborn (7-10 days old is preferred.) As a parent I can attest to the fact that this is the one stage here you literally ::BLINK:: and your newborn has doubled their weight and you barely recognize them from that little creature you brought home from the hospital. While each newborn session is unique, my goal is to capture images that focus on how scrunchy, fresh and new your baby is.
View the NEWBORN GALLERY for additional newborn images.
Three-Four Months
This stage is a lot of fun – your baby is starting to be more interactive and learning to smile and even laugh! Photos captured at 3-4 months start to show off that smile and their growing attachment to mom & dad. They are discovering their own selves as well – jamming fingers (and whole fists!) into their mouths, grabbing for their feet and often trying desperately to sit upright!
Six-Eight Months
You will rarely see a happier baby than one who has learned to sit upright by themselves. The smiles and laughs are abundant and clothes are fitting better and better which makes the 6-8 month age range a MUST HAVE PHOTO MILESTONE to capture. If your baby has older siblings who are still toddlers themselves, the sitting up age is a perfect time to capture that sibling relationship as the baby doesn’t have to rely on their older brother/sister to support them.
One Year
This milestone is an obvious one, but it can sometimes be forgotten in the chaos of the first birthday party and the realization that your teeny, tiny baby is now ONE! I guarantee you that you will be pulling out the newborn images at the one year mark and saying with a sigh “I barely remember that little newborn!” The one year mark is a great time to capture an updated family image as well as the Mom&Me and Daddy&Me portraits. Add in a Cake Smash for the perfect way to celebrate this milestone.
View the BABY GALLERY for additional milestone portraits.
