Orange County, NY Newborn and Family Photoshoot

I don’t get a chance to blog every single one of my sessions, but I do like to post a featured photoshoot on the blog each month—and this was one of my favorites recently! I have worked with this sweet family before for one of their older kiddos’ newborn photos a few years ago. So I was thrilled when they reached out again about doing a newborn and family photoshoot to celebrate the newest member of the family!

I always advise people to plan early for their newborn session, because these babies keep a schedule all their own! I book a limited number of newborn sessions each month so that I can keep things flexible and stress-free for parents if their little one decides to make an appearance earlier or later than expected.

This lil guy couldn’t wait to meet his family and was born super early. Always a scary thing for parents, and he had to spent a lot of time in the NICU, but he is doing great now! His parents had already booked his session, so once he was big and strong enough to go home we were able to lock in a date and they made the drive to the studio once they felt comfortable doing that.

Little man was absolutely precious and totally rocked his session! It was so cute to watch his older siblings interact with him too. They clearly adore their new baby brother—and who can blame them?!

Orange County, NY Newborn Photographer

My studio is located in New Jersey, but a ton of my families, like this one, come from New York. Wherever you are in the Tri-state area, I would love to help you capture special memories of your little ones with a custom photoshoot designed just for you. Reach out now and let’s get you on the calendar!

Baby’s First Year in Photos: Milestones to Capture as Your Little One Grows

I can’t tell you how excited and honored I am to capture your family’s special moments! While I love seeing your babies in my New Jersey studio for every single one of their milestones, from newborn to sitter to first birthday cake smash, I know it’s not always an option for families to have a professional photoshoot every single month. And yet—I want you to have all those memories!

So I thought I’d provide you with a quick rundown of baby’s first year, including some of the important milestones you’ll want to capture with your own camera at home. Plus, I’ve got recommendations for the best ages and stages to invest in professional portraits of your little one. Read on for what milestones to look for as your baby grows!

Milestones to Capture During Baby’s First Year

Months 1-2: Welcoming Baby

This is the stage where everything is new—for both you and baby! If you can only afford to book a professional photoshoot once during baby’s first year, make it a newborn photography session. This time of life is irreplaceable and it goes by so fast. This is your baby’s introduction to the world and to your family, and as a mom, trust me when I say that you will want beautiful, heirloom-quality images to remember this time of sweet snoozes and snuggles with your brand new bundle.

A professional photographer can help you safely achieve those cute Instagram poses, like froggy pose, womb pose, and chin-on-hands. They can also get adorable closeups with a focus on tiny details like fingers, toes, and lips. Learn more about professional newborn portraits here.

As you continue to photograph your newborn at home before and after your newborn session, I recommend focusing on the interactions between you and your little one. Catching those sweet moments when baby is asleep on dad’s chest, or one of your older kiddos sneaks in for a kiss—there is nothing better!

Months 3-5: Growing Up Fast

You won’t believe how much baby is growing already as they begin to hold up their head and start showing more interest in the world around them. At this stage, they are beginning to develop the motor skills that allow them to interact with toys and enjoy tummy time a bit more.

If you’re snapping photos at home, some fun ideas include:

·         Baby pictures with favorite toys

·         Interactions with mom, dad, or other family and friends

·         First smiles and giggles

·         Reactions to new stimuli

Months 5-8: Sitting and Crawling

Once they start being able to sit on their own and move around independently, a whole new level of adventure begins! This is another great time to get professional baby pictures with a sitter session. As parents, we often don’t realize how much our baby is changing—because it’s happening right before our eyes. You will be stunned when you compare images from your newborn and sitter sessions at how much your little one has changed already!

Whether you choose to do a sitter session at the studio or try your hand at DIY baby photos, here are some ideas for fun milestones to capture at this stage:

·         Trying new foods

·         Interactions with siblings, friends, or pets

·         Grabbing their own toes

·         Crawling and exploring

Months 8-10: Finding Their Footing

Some babies are still at the sitting and crawling stage here, while others are learning to pull themselves up on furniture and try out standing. Either way, this is another great time for professional baby portraits! Even if you don’t come into the studio at this point, remember that this is also the time to book your baby’s cake smash for their first birthday celebration. I’m so excited to get that call and start planning!

In the meantime, fun milestones to capture at home include:

·         Mealtimes

·         Pulling themselves up on furniture

·         Those first wobbly attempts to stand

·         Playtime in the bathtub (most kids are enjoying water toys at this point, making bathtime extra fun!)

Months 10-12: Approaching Toddlerhood and First Birthday!

Maybe baby is taking their first steps by now or maybe not. But it’s a guarantee that they are more active than ever and getting cuter by the day! Not to mention…almost ONE! This is a HUGE milestone that definitely deserves to be captured by a professional. My favorite way to celebrate is with a custom cake smash!

If you book a cake smash with me, we’ll get both milestone and cake smash photos before wrapping up with some of the cutest splash pics ever in my miniature tub! Every session is completely customized, so we can party with any theme you choose! Learn more here.

Even with a cake smash photoshoot, there are still plenty of exciting moments to capture at home:

·         First steps

·         All the adventures that come with first steps (once they start walking—watch out!)

·         The birthday party (of course!)

First Year Baby Photographer Serving Little Ones and Families in NJ, NY, and CT

I hope I’ll be seeing you and your little one in the studio very frequently throughout baby’s first year. But no matter how often I get to see you, I hope these milestone photo ideas ensure that you have pictures of all the best moments of your little one’s babyhood, from day one to year one. Enjoy your sweet bundle, soak up every moment, and know that I’m thinking of you and am so honored to be your baby photographer! Can’t wait to start planning your next session!