PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR BABY

Whether you’re pregnant and getting ready for the BIG day or you’ve just had a baby, it’s never too early to think about photographing your little one. Here are some milestones that are perfect times to capture these once-in-a-lifetime memories… starting before your baby is born and going through their first year.

Maternity

Six to ten weeks before you’re due is the best time to capture that growing baby bump. You’ve got a great shape that you’ll want to remember later, and at this point in your pregnancy you’re probably not on the verge of racing to the hospital for an early delivery! Depending on the weather, maternity photos can be done indoor or outdoor and they can be as revealing or as modest as you want them to be. Work with your photographer to help them understand your style & the types of images you’re going for. Your photographer can also help you decide on location & clothing choices to create the perfect environment for capturing great images!

Newborn (6-14 days)

… my absolute favorite age to photograph! Ever since Tracy Raver appeared on the Today Show to talk about the amazing work she and her twin sister Kelley Ryden do with newborns, parents everywhere are lining up for these artistic, sleepy photos of their newborns. Once your baby is born, there’s such a small window of time for capturing photos like these, their tiny little features and all that is brand new about them.

So what’s the window? Although newborn photos can be done anytime in the first month, the best time to photograph your new arrival is 6-14 days after birth when they’ll sleep most of the time, making them much easier to pose. Also, once they hit the two-week mark, newborns spend much more of their day awake and colic or acne can start to set in (sorry… it’s true!). If possible, the best time to book your photographer is before your due-date so they can make time for you on their schedule during those first two weeks after baby arrives.

Three Months

Around the three-month mark, babies are starting to push themselves up on their tummies, they’re interacting with you more and they’re starting to show you some really heart-warming smiles! This is… you guessed it… another perfect time for photos.

Six Months

More firsts! Around this age, your baby is not only showing you their great smiles, but laughing and sitting up too! A mix of skin-only photos and some with your favorite outfit(s) are a great way to capture this age. There’s no hard-and-fast rule that says photos have to be done right at six months. I recommend waiting until your baby can sit up on their own … whenever that may be.

One Year

Whew! Congratulations… you’ve made it through an exciting & exhausting year! Around their first birthday (give or take a month or two) your baby will be standing up and maybe taking a few steps, and showing off those brand new teeth. What better way to celebrate all of their ‘firsts’ than with one-year photos?

Your baby will go through so many changes in their first year and beyond. They grow up in the blink of an eye, and years from now you’ll look back and be amazed at how fast the time went by!

Laura Templin is an on-location, natural light photographer with a passion for photographing newborns and children. Laura offers BCC VIPs 50 complimentary birth announcements with a newborn session or a $50 print credit with a baby or child portrait session. You can see more of her work here: http://www.lauratemplin.com