At Grain & Weave we’re experts at print-worthy photography with newborns and babies and we’ve learned a thing or two over the years.

In the comfort of your home, we love to create images that not only capture your family bond, but also show the unique moments that are particular to each early milestone.

There’s only one chance to capture their first smiles, holding their head up and sitting, when they ‘find their feet’ - or simply dancing with Dad, or cuddles with Mum.

Which baby age is best to capture with photography?

There is so much to love about all the different stages of your baby’s development that it would be tempting just to say “let’s keep the camera rolling!” and get it all.

Unfortunately, unless you have a live-in photographer, or some weird ‘Big-Brother’ style house filled with multiple cameras rolling 24/7, circumstances dictate that we must choose one moment to capture with professional photography - but which developmental stage is best to capture?

Things to remember for all ages of baby photography:

Before we explore the question of ‘newborn vs older baby shoots?’ we need to remember that parents and photographers should expect different things from a baby at each developmental stage.

As your baby grows and develops there will be a new, beautiful stage to capture, as well as some pitfalls to watch out for.

Of course. this affects the type of session you can expect and what kind of images you can expect to see.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the milestones you can capture and what to expect at each stage of your baby’s journey, from newborn, three to six weeks old, and all the way through to their first birthday.

Newborn Photography

Every parent remembers the time their children were born - I certainly do.

Newborn photography is about capturing that fleeting moment, where a new life has entered the world and baby, mum and dad get to meet for the very first time.

Little baby is brand new, tiny and very sleepy! Mum and Dad are still wondering what just hit them, and they are completely besotted with their new bundle of joy.

Baby’s first 7-10 days photos

According to raisingchildren.net.au, your baby’s first week is all about feeding, sleeping and bonding with you. A steep (and amazing) learning curve is heading your way and you will need a chance to catch your breath.

We personally recommend that you hold off any unnecessary commitments and book your baby in advance for a photo shoot when they are 7-10 days old.

Most newborn photography studios like their babies very young so they can be posed easier. Our style is minimal and simple with the purpose to suit the walls of the home over many years, so and baby is natural and less posed.

We believe you should have the chance to get to know your little bundle of joy and let your head stop spinning before you attempt photos, which is why we prefer to photograph babies after 7 days.

From a practical point of view, some newborn babies can still have swelling from birth, that calms right down after a few days and will look better in your images.

Shoot tip:
Book ahead of time, whilst you’re still expecting. We have a weekly quota so we do not overbook and will reserve your space on the list. When you have had your baby, please contact us as soon as possible, so we can book you in.

Whilst you’re getting all organised and all, we have some excellent in home maternity photography options available for you too, if you wish.

Baby Development, Weeks 2&3

If you missed the first 7-10 day window, but are still after sleepy newborn photos, then this is the time to aim for as they are more likely having long, deep naps after a big feed.

Babies at this stage jump straight into a deep sleep and go through their sleep/wake/feed cycles quickly.

Another great thing about this age is that around this time they are starting to use their eyes more when they are awake, and can focus on close objects - around 8 inches away, which is the short side of an A4 page.

When you put your face close enough to them, Baby will look into your eyes and you’ll be able to capture a beautiful connection in your images.

Shoot tip:
Take time and relax. This is a marathon, not a sprint. We can only move at your baby’s pace, so allow plenty of time. Don’t forget to be present and enjoy it. You’re tired, but don’t forget to enjoy this amazing moment!

Baby Photography

By now, your baby is no longer officially a ‘newborn, so expect different things from your images.

Baby Development Weeks 4-6

Now they’ve had a month to work on their motor skills, your baby is making smoother movements and is turning their head around to follow the camera and your voice.

They are naturally curious and give nice long stares down the lens, which creates high impact in the image when it’s on the wall. You’ll also be more likely to get some big gummy smiles, which is well worth the wait up until now!

Many families prefer to wait until baby is this age, so don’t worry if you were not able to book in before this age.

Shoot tip:
Be around, but not in their face. Let your baby be curious. They are not quite ready to take cues for smiling yet, so allow them to do their own thing, which is how you will get the most natural images.

Our photographers are highly experienced and skilled at predicting and encouraging baby expressions.

Baby Photos, 6 weeks to 3 months

We call these ‘expression sessions’!

By now, Baby’s neck muscles are getting stronger and they can hold their head up for short periods. They are fully interactive and just love to have cuddles with their family. Expect lots of different expressions and a little unpredictability.

There is a good chance that they will stay awake for the whole session, so don’t expect to get too many sleeping images. That being said, if they’re all tuckered out then they’ll crash hard, so we like to schedule lots of little breaks so we can work at their own pace.

You can chat to our team about it if you have any questions.

Shoot tip:
Try not to overwhelm your child by overstimulating them to get them to perform for the camera. They are alert at this age but tire out very quickly., as do the grown-ups!

3-6 months Baby Photography

Laughs, giggles, lots of curiosity and dribbles! Yes, when photographing babies who are 3-6 months old, best to keep that cloth handy as by now they are beginning to develop muscles for speech.

They get a lot louder and more expressive. Don’t expect them to recite their favourite song just yet, but do sing to them and give them lots of interaction and talk to them. Their first words are a little way off, but they are paying very close attention to everything you are doing and saying and they are constantly learning.

This is a beautiful age to capture as they have made some huge leaps in this time. They are occupying themselves a little longer with toys and textures and watch you from a distance or follow you around, which is an excellent chance to play ‘Peek-a-boo’! Too: Give them a second to recognise you before you disappear for maximum smiles!

As they firmly know who their ‘regular crowd’ are, they might become a little shy when meeting strangers, so don’t expect too much at the beginning of your session as they need time to warm up. Don’t worry though, our photographers are great at building fast rapport with your kids.

Shoot tip:
You’ll have a tough time keeping their hands out of their mouth, so either embrace it as part of their milestone, or have someone on-hand to help keep the hands under control.

Older Baby Photos - 6 months old plus

6-9 months baby photos

Your little bundle of joy is a real gym-junkie at the moment! For the last few weeks they have already been working out on their core strength, trying to sit up and bending and wriggling around on the floor.

They’re lifting their head and looking around and seeing things they want to get to and may even try to crawl over to them.

They can recognise familiar objects and may light up with big smiles when they see their favourite toys. These are great to include in images as their faces just scream ‘pure joy’! Better still, keep the favourite toy for when they are adult. It has appeared in that portrait that’s been on the wall their whole life and they will not want to throw it away!

Many of our families we meet pass their favourite toys on to their children too. Imagine the family history shown in that one image!

You’ll start to see Baby sitting really soon and even rolling over onto their tummy, so they can begin practicing their crawling skills. They’ve also started to form very strong opinions, so if you take something away they want, expect them to let you know about it in no uncertain terms! Let your photographer guide you on how they want to work with them.

Shoot tip:
Create a space ready for us to work in - maybe a soft play area or prepare some rugs or blankets and be prepared to get involved!

9-12 months baby photos

By now, Baby is hurtling toward no longer being a baby and is becoming a toddler! You may be holding their hands and letting them stand up with you. Maybe they love eating colourful fruits, like strawberries or watermelons that look great on your family wall-art.

Outfits look great on them in images now and you can really have fun dressing them up for their images, but be aware of how it will appear as a print in your home. Choose colours and textures wisely. You can always consult us if you are stuck.

.Many parents love to capture their child at the one-year-on stage and have an update from their newborn shoot. This is a beautiful opportunity to recognise just how far you’ve come as a family and celebrate the next chapter.

Shoot tip:
Embrace the craziness and the playfulness. Toys, fruit, outfits, objects - all of these can enhance your images to make amazing and unique personalised wall-art. Think outside of the box, or keep it classic. It’s up to you.

Babies don’t stay babies for long!

Before you know it you are counting Baby’s age in months, not weeks. 6 months is half a year and that’s already half way to their first birthday! Better start planning that one year-on shoot soon!

As you can see, each stage has it’s own special moments and if we could, (you can!) we would photograph them at every stage.

I’m lucky, as a photographer I have been able to document and photograph memories of my own children at every major stage and our wall are stuffed with moments we love to remember from our life together.

With my own children, like many parents, I document each stage of their development and then also every year we do an updated portrait, with a family photo every couple of years - but then I guess that’s the perks of the trade!

Which baby age is best to photograph?

“…the best time to capture was then, the next best time is now”.

So, my answer to the question “Newborn Photography VS Older Baby Photos?” is “any of them, some of them, or all of them”. Someone once told me “…the best time to capture was then, the next best time is now”.

The first year of your baby’s life is perhaps the most transformative and memorable - although you might be too tired to remember it all!

I’ll let you take comfort in knowing that you will never regret capturing any of these stages, but may regret in years to come not capturing any of them.

I’d love to know what your thoughts are on the subject. Let me know in the comments section below.

I look forward to seeing your images soon!

John,
Grain & Weave

If you have any questions or would like to enquire about booking your own in-home family or baby photography session, please contact the team at Grain & Weave on 1300 476054.

Summary: Despite what you may read, newborn photography is not the be-all and end-all of capturing your baby’s first moments.

We advocate strongly for older baby photos as well as newborn, because our customers report that they enjoy the experience just as much but have more interactive and expressive moments to remember.

As well as natural newborn photography, we are also experts in creating family portraits with babies at:

• 3-6 weeks old baby photography

• 6 weeks to 12 weeks old baby photography

• 3-6 months old baby photography

• 6 months to 9 months old baby photography