3 Tips for Successful Baby Photos

I have been spending a lot of time in my studio this winter thanks to a pandemic and a lot of yucky, cold, rainy weather. Looking on the bright side however, I have had time to develop a new offering that I am so excited about. You may already know that I absolutely love photographing babies and I wanted to do more of that and give families an opportunity to document them as they reach new milestones such as sitting and crawling. So, I am now offering what I call “Simple Baby Sessions” in my studio!

A simple baby session is a short session (approximately 30 minutes) in my all-white studio space where we can capture the giggles, curiosity, and amazing cuteness of babies in the 6-12 (ish) month range. I can’t lie here… they’ve become one of my new favorite things to photograph because it’s all about play and giggles and the results are absolutely beautiful! I have a variety of very simple props such as wooden toys, a moses basket, and white blankets that I use to set up simple scenes for babies to explore.

So today I wanted to not only introduce this new offering, but also give a few tips for parents on how to have a successful baby session!

1. Feed babies before arriving and bring snacks just in case

We all know that hanger is real (it DEFINITELY is for me…) so having a meal or a nice filling snack is always a good idea before any type of photos whether with kids or adults (I see you Dads). So make sure your baby has a snack or meal beforehand and feel free to bring snacks along to your session in case we need a quick break! I’d recommend something simple like cheerios that won’t be too messy. A bottle with milk or water is a good idea to bring along as well in case they get thirsty. A lot of babies don’t end up needing a snack while they’re here since it is a fairly short session, but it’s always better to be prepared just in case.

2. Schedule your session at a time when your baby is usually playful

I generally schedule simple baby sessions in the mornings during the week so, I’d recommend thinking about what time they would be alert and cheery, maybe soon after a nap. It’s also a good idea to avoid scheduling around big changes such as a new daycare, dropping a nap, etc. which can throw babies off of their sleep patterns and lead to a case of the grumpies.

3. Come prepared for fun and cute candid moments!

I don’t set up a clear plan or shot list before a simple baby session because my style is very much “go with the flow”, especially when working with babies and young kids. I have two children of my own so I am very comfortable working with this age and love engaging with them and playing while photographing them. I want this to feel to them like a fun play date and I just happen to take photos of it! I usually will have the parent sit behind or next to me and out of the frame so that they can play along as well. However, be mindful that it’s best that the baby engages more with me so that I can get lots of cute giggles & eye contact in their photos. So basically just come ready to have a good time! Want to jump in the frame for a few photos with your baby? Sounds great to me!

Are you looking for a baby photographer in Raleigh NC? Head over to my contact page and send me a message!