Best Ages for Professional Baby and Infant Portraits
Babies grow and changes so fast in the first year that you can never seem to take enough pictures. Most parents also recognize that even though they are snapping away everyday, the baby’s first year is an important time for professional baby photography that will produce beautiful artistic and archival prints to last a lifetime and more. But when are the best months to capture the baby, and how often should it be done in the first year? Here are some guidelines for what can be expected at the different stages related to professional baby and infant photography.
Newborn – The first 5 to 10 days is the best time for newborn baby photography. During this time they are less fussy and their skin will be more clear. Baby acne usually sets in around day 16 and lasts for a couple of weeks, so having the session done before this will work in your favor. Newborn sessions often involve naked baby’s laying on soft blankets or in the family’s arms. Whether the baby is awake or asleep, these pictures should not be missed as they are an incredible way to begin documenting a person’s life.
2 to 3 months – Still a newborn at this point, most babies are quite fussy at this age. They will have better head control than in the first month, and they also can smile a little by this age. But do not count on being able to capture that smile on demand until they are older. Posing for infants at this age will be similar to the newborn except that they will be able to hold their heads up a bit more when they are on their stomachs. Laying down shots, propped up shots, and being held in the family arms will be the majority of posing for this age group.
4 to 5 months – Most infants are quite chubby by this time, and are much better at smiling and making faces. These babies are still not able to sit up, but they are more able to interact with people and toys. This is a perfect time to capture chubby arms and legs, and bare bottoms – and you may even be able to get them to smile on camera.
6 to 7 months – Finally! The baby can sit up and has much better body control, and there are more option for posing. Sessions can be done outdoors for the six month old portrait, but choose the location carefully as these infants love to put everything in their mouths. Because they do not tend to be mobile yet, this is a golden age for infant portraits to capture them sitting and smiling with pets, siblings, and a great age for family portraits too.
8 to 10 months – This age can be very active as most infants are crawling at this point. These sessions are lots of fun as the baby tends to be very expressive and playful. Try a white background in the studio for a classic, clean look. But be ready to have to reset the baby continually to the right area of light. For very active babies, consider a home study session where the photographer comes to the home and uses natural light to capture the roaming baby on their own turf.
11 to 14 months – Between these months, most babies are pulling up, “cruising” along furniture, standing and walking. Location sessions are ideal at this age when the baby is very determined to be mobile in their environment. During this time frame a one year portrait should be done to document the amazing development from birth to one. This should be a very playful session which includes family members as well.
So given these ages for professional baby photography, which ones are the best? As a photographer and a parent, I would recommend having the baby professionally photographed as a newborn (around 7 to 10 days old), then at 4 months (chubby baby bottoms), followed by 6 or 7 months (sitting), 9 months (crawling), then 12 to 13 months (standing). If you can only do three – make sure to get newborn, 6 to 7 month portraits, and the One Year milestone. When purchasing prints, order professional archival prints that will last for generations, as these photos should be around for this babies great grand-babies. This is the gift of professional photography.
Maternity Portraits have become very popular over the last ten years. The pregnancy of each child is looked on as a special event for the family that should be documented with professional photography - almost as significant as the wedding...
All About Acid Reflux In InfantAcid reflux is not uncommon in babies. What parents need to do is to gather as much information on the condition in order to be able to deal with it properly. Get to know just how many babies are affected...
Is Organic Baby Skincare Good For Your BabyIt\'s natural for a mother to worry about what she puts on her baby\'s skin. Babies have super sensitive skin. It\'s a fact that baby\'s skin originated from the same source as his eyes and ears? With the skin, babies...
Things You Need For a Newborn BabyWhen you first bring home your newborn baby there are only a few essential things you really need to begin with. He or she will need somewhere to sleep, clothing, a method of transport and something to bathe in. The...
A Baby Bash Coming Up and Baby games to play at the ShowerHere are some tips to get that baby bash on the roll and be the talk of the baby land for a week or so. One, preparation of the baby bash is extremely important! Create a theme that you would...