What is the best age for Newborn Photos? // Sydney Newborn Photographer

Updated: Jun 11, 2021

What is the best age for a Newborn Photo Shoot?

So you want to book a newborn photo shoot, but you have no idea when the best time is. How long does that newborn stage last exactly? There is no exact time frame, in fact we have captured baby's up until about four weeks of age, it's never too late!

Sometimes life gets in the way, those first couple of weeks is exhausting and the thought of fitting in a photography session may be the last thing you feel like doing, in fact if you leave booking your session until after bub is born you may never get it done! But never fear, we have some tips on the best age to have a newborn shoot, and when to book.

Let us put your mind at rest, at how easy it is to have beautiful new family memories captured that will last a lifetime. Parents really enjoy the experience, and it’s much more relaxing and stress-free than you might think!

what is the best age for a newborn photo shoot

Where Possible Babies Younger than 14 days

Typically, we recommend scheduling your newborn baby photo shoot about 10 days after your due date. Once bub is born we then lock in a date and time for your newborn session.

7 to 10 days is our ideal age for a newborn portrait session as babies this age are pretty chilled, sleep most of the time (with 3am feeds being the exception!) and curl up easily in those gorgeous poses. While newborn smiles are not conscious yet, as new babies fall asleep they tend to grimace and pull faces that look just like a grin! Once bub hits two weeks old they tend to be more alert, and outgrow that fragile newborn look.

This age is great for capturing snuggles with parents, photos of baby feeding (if you want them) and close up shots of baby’s eyelashes, lips and feet. It's also a wonderful time to capture some beautiful photos of baby with their siblings.

A de lumière photographer will come to you at home for your newborn baby photo shoot, this means that even if your bub is a little older than two weeks, we can still achieve gorgeous portraits. We blend a mix of lifestyle photography with a newborn portrait session, so we cater for all ages of babies.

If you have your heart set on those gorgeous curled up shots, then capturing baby within the first 14 days are imperative.

Older Babies

Babies older than 14 days are not so malleable and tiny any more, they lose their downy hair, baby acne starts to appear, and cradle cap is common. None of these things should stop you from having your precious bundle captured though!

Each bub is different and as a professional newborn photographer it's our job to get amazing shots of your new baby, no matter what the age, before they grow (super fast – you’ve been warned!) and are not so little any more.

Slightly older babies are likely to be more alert and aware of their surroundings. So photo sessions with older babies can result in more ‘eyes open’ shots than sleepy ones. Super cute!

Babies First Year

The first twelve months of a baby's life is a whirlwind of learning and growth. They change so fast, learning to talk, smile, sit, crawl and walk!

So we recommend capturing baby once they are sitting up (but not yet walking), this is a wonderful age of curiosity and smiles. Be aware that at this age babies can be quite distressed by a separation from Mum, so patience may be required to encourage your little person to be photographed on their own.

Cake smash or first birthday celebrations are also a must!!

Many of our baby photography clients have fine art books made with a selection of photos from baby’s first year – get in touch if you’d like more details on how to preserve your photos for future generations.

Get in the photos!

You may not feel particularly photogenic just weeks after giving birth but capturing those all-important shots of you with your baby that your little one will just love to look back on in years to come is SO important.

Don’t let time slip away, the saying is cliché but it is very true “they are only little for a little while”, invest in your memories, have them captured, display them on your walls, share them with your family and friends, most importantly make sure that there is always a way to remember your tiny bubba.