July 7th, 2022

       Many parents-to-be or new parents ask the question: “what is the best age to photograph my baby?”.

Should it be when he’s a tiny newborn baby or should I wait a few months till he can sit up? It is such an important decision as you will certainly treasure these photos forever.

Sometimes life gets in the way, those first couple of weeks are exhausting and the thought of fitting in a photography session may be the last thing you feel like doing. We have some tips on the best age to have a newborn shoot, and when to book.

Babies Younger Than Two Weeks Old (Where Possible!)

I would recommend scheduling your newborn baby photo session for around two weeks after your due date. The absolute best age for a newborn photo shoot is between 7 and 10 days old. Babies at this age still tend to be pretty chill, curled up and sleepy. You will want to remember what your gorgeous new baby looked like at their absolute teeniest!

This is the best age for a newborn photo shoot that will document your baby's curled-up sleepiness, baby’s snuggles with parents, and close up shots of baby’s hands, feet and little faces.

If you choose a photographer like me, we will do your newborn photo session in your home so you feel relaxed. We can include a cute stuffed animal or a special blanket from your great grandmother in the photos as well.

If you have your heart set on those gorgeous curled up shots, then capturing baby within the first 14 days is a must.

Older Babies

If you have missed the early newborn phase, this period can also be lovely to photograph. Babies older than two weeks are not quite so tiny any more! They also start to lose some of that downy hair and baby acne can appear.

Slightly older babies are likely to be more alert and aware of their surroundings. So photo sessions with older babies can result in more ‘eyes open’ shots than sleepy ones.

Don’t worry if your baby cries, this is perfectly normal and I may capture these moments too.

So what’s the best age for a newborn photo shoot? I recommend scheduling your newborn photo shoot before your baby is two weeks old. I’d also recommend scheduling a session for around 4 months, again at 8 months and perhaps at a year old too. Your baby will never again change at such a rapid rate as they do in that first year.

Whenever you decide what the best age for a newborn photo shoot is with your baby, it’s really important to me to capture photos of the parent(s) with the baby, along with any pets or siblings if possible. You may not feel particularly photogenic or have the energy so soon after giving birth, but it would be such a shame to miss out on capturing those important memories of you with your baby.