Baby's First Year Milestones
The first year for a baby is so full of growth and development! It was one of my favorite times with my children because there is so much discovery and joy, on both sides. The one thing I missed, however, was having really simple, clean portraits of my children. I didn't have a Studio back then! And I was just starting on my photography journey. So I have lots of at-home photographs, and plenty of outdoor shots.. but nothing like what I provide to my clients now. Which, in many ways, is why I do it.
Milestone Sessions are offered as an easy way to document your baby's first year, in a way that you can't easily DIY at home. Paired with beautiful fine art printing and matting, these portraits often become incredibly valuable family keepsakes for both the parents and the child.
But what milestones happen when? When is the best time to do this type of session? And how old should your baby be in order to get the most out of something like this?...
3 months old
3 months is really special because this is when you'll start seeing a lot more interaction and movement from your newborn. They will discover their feet and begin playing with them. This is also a great time to capture "tummy time", which is something your baby is probably experiencing every single day. At this age, your baby is just growing out of his/her newborn stage and if you missed professional newborn portraits, it's a great time to make up for it!
At this age babies usually can:
Hold up their head
Find and play with their feet
Smile
Do tummy time
6 months old
The mid-point of your baby's first year marks quite a bit of growth! This is the time when first solid foods are introduced and mobility is refined. Sometimes at this age, babies start trying to crawl and move around.. or they simply enjoy scooting and being on their tummies more so than before. Your little one is also probably showing a lot more of his or her personality! Smiles, cooing, and funny faces are all great things to capture at this age.
At this age babies usually can:
Play with their feet
Smile
Lay on their tummy and potentially scoot around or crawl
9 months old
9 months is one of the best time frames to get professional portraits done of your baby. Why? Because your little one is old enough to sit on his/her own but not yet at that walking stage. This is absolutely wonderful for a Studio session where being in a specific spot is necessary. And don't forget to bring a favorite stuffed animal or book! This is a great age to come in for portraits if you did a proper newborn photoshoot previously.
At this age babies usually can:
Play with their feet
Smile
Crawl
Potentially sit up unsupported
1 year old!
This is a big one! The first year is definitely worth celebrating and babies will be in different places developmentally right around this time. Some children are just learning to sit on their own. Others are starting to take those first steps. How active and mobile your baby is depends entirely on her! And that's so wonderful because these portraits will capture her perfectly at this stage.
Tip: if you can time your session to take place just before your child's birthday, you can use the professional portraits in the birthday party invite.
At this age babies usually can:
Play with their feet
Smile
Crawl
Sit up
Pull up to stand
Try to walk
Why it's important
The first year flies by, and before we know it, we'll have a toddler running around the house! Hiring a professional photographer to take portraits of your little one rarely makes it to the top of the TO-DO list when you're a sleep deprived busy parent. But that's exactly why it's so important. Once that first year is passed, there is no way to go back. You can't turn those iPhone photos into stunning artwork by printing them big and hoping they'll hold up.
I created these Milestone Sessions specifically for busy parents. There is very little prep (you simply bring your baby and a white onesie to the Studio), no work you'll need to do before or after the session (in fact, every image is printed on beautiful fine art paper so it can be displayed and enjoyed right away), and the whole session takes about 45 minutes. And there's no need to worry about scratches or bruises either, because every photograph goes through a professional retouching process!