What Age Should Newborn Photos Be Done?

If you’re expecting a baby, or your little one was born recently, you might be wondering… At what age should newborn photos be done?

Perhaps you already did some research and read that newborn photos are only done within babe’s first two weeks, and the earlier the better. While two weeks is generally considered the ideal time range, I don’t follow it strictly. And I find under a week puts unneccessary strain on the new parents as they’re trying to figure out their new normal.

First, let’s look at why under two weeks of age is favoured among photographers:

• Babies still sleep for a large portion of the day. Sleeping babies are easier to pose into many of the sweet positions you see in studio sessions
• They are still tiny and flexible from being in the womb, which again, makes many of the poses easier. Plus they fit into all the cute props made specifically for this purpose.
• Around the 3 week mark, hormones often cause baby’s skin to break out. This can affect the look of the images, and adds significant retouching time on the photographer’s end.
• Babies change sooo fast. At 2 weeks they will fit in your arms and hands in ways they won’t at 2 months. Their features change, and they get chubbier. Which is adorable in its own way of course, and this is great to document in a 6 month session!

That said, if you miss the 2-week mark, some photographers will tell you to wait until 3 months (baby holding head up milestone). Some may even suggest 6 months (sitting up milestone). I may have even been guilty of this a time or two in the past, but then I realized something…

I understand that you just want beautiful images of your babe as soon as you possibly can. And if that’s at 2 weeks, or 6 weeks, or 2.5 months, we can make that happen!

There are many things that could prevent you from scheduling a newborn session in advance, including an extended hospital or NICU stay, or a global pandemic. Or sometimes parents just don’t realize how much they want these newborn photos until their little one has already arrived, and they see just how quickly babies change.

So What Age SHOULD Newborn Photos Be Done?

While yes, the ideal time is generally between one and three weeks, as a parent please don’t let that stop you from reaching out about newborn photography if it’s a bit (or a lot) later. And if you’re reading this as a photographer, consider how the parents are feeling and everything they may have gone through, and use your skills to provide them with beautiful images no matter how old their little one is.

Anytime is better than not having them at all. Whenever your babe’s first photos are done, I know you’ll treasure them for years to come, and enjoy looking back on them as your baby grows.

How Do I Photograph Older Newborns?

My personal newborn photography style has evolved to include less of the super-posed style of images over the years. I tend to prefer more natural photos of babe wrapped, or just doing what they naturally do. This includes yawning, stretching their little arms and legs out, or just looking around. Parents may come to us for sleepy newborn photos, but they can’t resist a photo that shows their baby’s beautiful eyes! These simple images work well for almost all babies. Often some of the larger props can work too with a simple-but-snug wrap. Just be mindful of keeping the babies safe and protecting them from hitting the edges of the props if they should happen to startle.

You’ll also need additional counter-weight in some props, such as buckets or baskets, so they don’t tip over with baby in them.

Photographers might consider joining an organization such as APNPI that focuses on newborn safety and education, while giving photographers opportunities to earn accreditations and enter image competitions.

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