"baby's first year" | the process

After Maggie was born, I couldn't believe how quickly she changed with every month! It was bitter-sweet to watch her grow so quickly, and I am definitely thankful that I have plenty of photos from her first twelve months. I don't think I really appreciated the importance of capturing a baby's first year until then, but now it's one of my favorite things to photograph!

Even though I won't be photographing many babies this year, I thought I'd share a little about the way that I organize a "Baby's First Year" series. When I started doing them, I would set up five or six sessions, and I've realized that scheduling four sessions is usually perfect. Here's how I break it down:

Parents have their choice of these two session options:
A-- Maternity, Newborn, Six-Months, One Year
B-- Newborn, Four-Months, Eight-Months, One Year

Of course, families are welcome to add an extra session or two, but I've found that this is a great starting point. And the way that this is divided usually ensures that the baby will have reached a new milestone that is fun to photograph. Here are the things that I look for in each shoot:

1. Maternity

This one is easy! I absolutely love capturing a mom-to-be in all her pregnant beauty. If possible, I will schedule these sessions at sunset and let the lighting add to the beauty of the subject.

2. Newborn

While I love to capture special moments with the family as they hold and cuddle the new baby, I also have a few specific things that I try to get. For a newborn, I always try capture at least one photo of the baby asleep. This is the easiest time to photograph a sleeping baby, so I try to take advantage of that! I also try to get a few close-ups of the baby's tiny hands and feet.

3. Four-Months (or Six-Months)

At this age, along with capturing family interactions, I try to get a good shot of the baby pushing up from the floor. This is a fun milestone, and such a sweet angle! It's especially great if you can find a nice plain surface. Hardwood is always beautiful! (As an aside: I can't believe Caleb was ever so small!)

4. Eight-Months (or Six-Months)

At this age, I can usually get a good shot of the baby sitting up. Sometimes, babies still can't sit up for very long, but my shutter is pretty quick. :) (You'll notice that I included the six-month session twice. When families do a six-month shoot, the baby can usually do one or both of these milestones.)

5. One Year

And finally, for the one year session, I try to get a nice shot of the baby standing up. Some babies can walk at a year, and some can't. (Neither of my kids could!) But one thing that most babies can do is stand up while holding onto something. A great prop to use for this is a small colorful chair.

Of course, all babies are different, and following these guidelines might not work for every family. I think one of the most important things about being a baby and family photographer is being able to adapt to each new child and meet them where they are. But, for the most part, it has really helped me to think about my sessions this way. If you're reading and you'd like to start doing these sessions, I hope you found this helpful!