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. While this is generally considered the ideal time range, I don’t follow it strictly.

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 just not realizing how much you wanted these photos until after babe arrived.

How Do I Photograph Older Newborns?

My personal newborn photography style has evolved to include less of those superposed 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. These work well for almost all babies.

So, at what age should newborn photos be done? Within the first two weeks, or as soon as you’re ready. Anytime is better than not having them at all. Whenever your babe’s first photos are done, I know you’ll treasure them just as I adore those first photos of my own little guy.

________________

Having (or already had) a baby?
··View my newborn portfolio··
··Request more info or schedule a session··

Are you a photographer yourself? ··Grab my free PDF··