The other day, I was chatting with a new dad and he asked a question that I hear quite a lot: If we’re only going to do one professional photo session while our little one is still “a baby”, when should we do it? And more specifically, what’s the main difference between a 3-month and a 6-month session?
Good questions.
Personally, I’m famous for saying “ooooh, this is my favorite age for pictures!” for pretty much every single age. I can’t help it! There really is something special about every stage of a child’s development. (Of course, it goes without saying that all children develop at a different pace.) But if you’re debating on when to bring a photographer in for professional pictures, perhaps these general guidelines will help.
Technically speaking, children aged one to three are considered toddlers. So we’re going to look at the three “baby” stages (or 1-11 months) that I photograph most often.
1. Newborn Stage
Oh, what a sweet stage it is : ) Most photographers aim to schedule newborn sessions while baby is fresh out of the oven. Before day 10 would be ideal. Why the rush? After day 10, baby starts to stretch out, wake up, and become increasingly aware of his or her surroundings (ah hem, and the scary lady with the big camera!). It’s also the time when baby acne begins to appear. So if you dream of precious shots of your sweet one sleeping and all curled up in a basket, then the earlier the better.
But stuff happens. Unexpected c-sections and other complications can arise making it impossible to photograph baby during the first two weeks of his life. And that’s ok. Even though he’ll be a bit larger and maybe even awake through the entire session, “older” newborns can be a delight to photograph.
Photographers often charge extra for newborn sessions because they usually take extra time and can (at times) require extra patience. Baby is in charge and needs feedings, changings, and snuggles to be happy. But the patience always pays off in the end.
2. Two-Three Month Stage
They grow so fast! One of the things I love the most about this particular stage is that baby is now totally and completely in love with Mom and Dad. She LOOOOVES to snuggle with you and that makes for beautiful pictures. It’s also a great time to take photosof baby while she’s on her back or tummy. Depending on how strong her neck is, she may even be able hold her head up for some adorable tummy shots. Sometimes little ones become camera-shy at this stage of the game because they are very much aware of the photographer’s presence. So get ready to bring your silliest faces and noisiest toys as you may have to work for some big smiles : ) Smiles or no smiles, though, it’s definitely an awesome time for pictures. I love it because baby is starting to get pudgy : )
3. Six to Eight Month Stage
He’s getting biiiiiigger! (Oh how I LOVE to photograph baby rolls!) And boy oh boy does he love to smile for the camera! At this point, baby is sitting up (whew, maybe even standing up and holding on to things!) and looooooves to show off. It’s a really fun stage to photograph because we can easily capture LOTS of personality … but baby can’t run away!!!! Maybe he’s trying to crawl … but he’s not quick yet! So it’s a great time to plop him down in his room or in the garden or any safe area and capture amazing pictures. And by now, he really thinks you’re a pretty funny person, which means it’s easy to get big smiles : )
The bottom line is that no matter what stage you choose, you can’t go wrong! But I hope that as you browse through the images above, you’ll get a better feel for the stage you think would be best for your little one’s pictures.
Kate Callahan is an on-location photographer specializing in portraiture of newborns, babies, children and families. She serves the entire state of Delaware and parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Maine, and New York.
