Children's & Newborn Portraits
Newborn Photos: When to Book and How to Prepare
When to schedule newborn photos, why booking while you're expecting matters, and how to prepare for a calm, safe newborn portrait session.
By imaginLIGHT Photography · · 2 min read
Newborns change astonishingly fast. The curled-up, sleepy, brand-new look that parents treasure lasts only a short while — which is why the most important step in newborn photography happens before your baby is born.
Book while you're expecting
Call or text in your second or third trimester to reserve a newborn session around your due date. Babies arrive on their own schedule, so the session is confirmed once your baby is born. Booking ahead means there's a place held for you instead of hoping for an opening in the blur of the first week home.
When to photograph a newborn
Many photographers prefer the first couple of weeks after birth, when babies sleep deeply and still curl naturally into the poses they held in the womb. That said, there's no expiration date on beautiful baby portraits. Older babies are more alert and expressive — the big-eyed, smiling stage has its own magic, and the first-birthday cake smash is a favorite milestone of its own.
How to prepare
- Feed your baby shortly before the session, or plan to feed during it — a full baby is a sleepy baby.
- Dress baby in something that opens in front and comes off easily so you don't wake them.
- Bring extra diapers, wipes, burp cloths and a change of clothes for you, too.
- Plan a relaxed pace. Newborn sessions follow the baby's timeline, with breaks for feeding and soothing.
- Bring meaningful items — a blanket from grandma, a sports-team onesie, a flag from a family member's service, a sibling's favorite toy.
Include the family
Some of the most treasured newborn images aren't of the baby alone: a tiny hand wrapped around a parent's finger, a newborn asleep in Dad's hands, big brother meeting his sister. Plan for parents and siblings to be photographed too, and wear simple, solid colors so the focus stays on the baby.
Safety comes first
A baby's safety and comfort matter more than any pose. Newborns should be kept warm and supported at all times, and many dramatic newborn images — a baby that appears to balance on its own, or rest on a parent's back — are actually made safely as composites, with a parent's hands supporting the baby between frames. If a pose makes you or your baby uncomfortable, skip it; ask how any pose will be done before the session.
Expecting? Call or text Jack to reserve your newborn session, and see more in the children's and newborn gallery.