When is the best time for your newborn photoshoot?
The most common question I get about a newborn photoshoot is when is the best time for a session. My answer is always that in an ideal world, I would photograph your baby before they are 14 days old. Babies are typically still sleepy in those early days and are able to curl up into those snuggled up poses. It’s amazing how after those first couple of weeks your baby will become much more alert and interested in the world around them! They will also become much less flexible so it becomes more difficult for them to curl up like they did in the womb.
Newborn Photoshoot 14 Day Guideline
However that is the ideal case and the 14 day time frame is of course just a guide. Every baby is different and everybody’s birth and family situation is different. Maybe you had a tough pregnancy and birth and are just not feeling upto a newborn photoshoot in those first days. Maybe it’s all just all a little crazy and upside down and it’s difficult to find time for a newborn photoshoot before baby is 2 weeks old.
No problem! Because my style is completely baby led and is all about capturing your baby naturally and beautifully, I will always be able to create stunning images for you regardless of your baby’s age.
Relaxed and stress free newborn photoshoots in my lovely Dublin studio
My sessions are relaxed and never rushed. If baby takes time to settle then I’m happy to wait until baby is ready. If baby needs feeding, changing or just some cuddles then there’s plenty of time for that. I’ll do everything to make sure your baby is comfortable and content and then it’s just a case of patience to give your baby time to settle into a good sleep. As a very experienced newborn photographer, I have photographed both the sleepiest and the most awake babies over the years!
If your baby is wide awake then I will focus on capturing those gorgeous little newborn expressions and that incredible connection between baby and parents. I absolutely love those wide awake little faces and those stretches and yawns from an awake baby!
Your baby is unique
Remember that your baby is unique and their own little person. Sometimes I’ll have an 8 day old baby who struggles to settle and then a 3 week old who is fast asleep for most of their newborn photoshoot. It’s amazing how you see baby’s little personality from those very first days and while one baby will be interested in the world around them another will be happiest cuddled up asleep with Mum.
When your baby was born will also affect how your baby is for their newborn photoshoot. I find babies that have arrived early tend to be sleepier and babies who were overdue can be awake and interested in everything going on around them!
So whatever age your baby is on the day of your newborn photoshoot, I will work with your baby and how they are on the day to create beautiful images for you. To set up your session for success, I only schedule newborn sessions in the morning as babies are in better form in the morning time and I also find earlier in the day is better for tired parents!
Newborn Photography Bookings
If you have booked your newborn photoshoot in advance with me, I will have provisionally scheduled your newborn photoshoot for approximately 7 days after your due date. Then when your baby arrives we can reschedule your session as needed to find the best time for you. If you have had a c-section or there are any complications then I always suggest waiting an extra few days to give you time to recover and make sure your really enjoy your session.
If you were a last minute booking and we haven’t planned your schedule in advance, then your baby may well be over the 14 day window. This is no problem at all, I modify my sessions according to your baby’s age and how your baby is on the day.
Teeny. Tiny. Timeless.
Don’t worry about the age of your newborn. The only mistake you can make in booking your newborn photoshoot is in not booking at all! If you’re in any way unsure then do please get in touch and we can have a chat about a session for you.
Your baby is so little for such a short time, make sure to capture that gorgeousness forever.