A common question I hear when talking to new parents who wish to have family photos with their newborn is: "Is it too late? Have I missed the window for newborn photos?" Often times, mommies and babies need extra time to settle in and recover (dads and siblings, too!). It's a huge life event to have a new person rock your world, so taking some extra time for yourself is really reasonable.
In short, the answer is it's never "too late" to have photos of your little one. Though sessions are designed for younger newborns (somewhere between 1 week and 1 month old), I work with newborns over a month old all the time. Simply put, we adjust the styling and pacing of the photo shoot to match baby's growth, and his/her wants/needs/opinions (yes, these babes have strong opinions!).
Here are some key shifts between an older newborn shoot (over a month old) vs. a super-fresh newborn shoot (under 2 weeks). We will see with older newborns:
- More more wake time!
We will see more of those beautiful bright eyes in an older newborn. - A wider range of emotions.
Because they're getting used to being in the outside world, and learning how adults will react if they cry or coo, we'll see more emotions that range from happy and silly to downright hungry and mad. And their mad faces are pretty cute, too. - A growing physique including weight and flexibility changes.
This one is important to consider. A fresh baby is used to being swaddled up tight with their knees up (hey, mom's belly was pretty snug), and it's really calming for them to be wrapped up. Thus, younger newborns will often receive the photography tiny swaddle treatment. Older newborns past 1 month old may still enjoy being wrapped up tight and being styled as so, but more often than not, they'll want to stretch out their growing muscles and may prefer a different kind of wrap (looser, blanket overlays, etc). Newborns who have matured over several weeks will find it comforting to be in mom & dad's arms, so we will see more of that as they grow. This is really beautiful, considering that they are still so tiny and will not always be this small in your hands. :)
If you have a preemie baby who has grown toward their original due date, their adjusted age will reflect a varied amount of muscle strength, emotions/wake time, and comfort in styling. We will let baby and mom provide feedback on what's comfortable in terms of posing and wrapping. Above all, I make sure baby is safe and takes breaks for eating, changing, and cuddles.
With that said, meet 7 week old newborn, Parker! He is so handsome; a perfect blend of his mom, Elizabeth and dad, Peter. We used props and scenes from his very first home -- all very unique to his family. Check out his solo pics in his beautiful crib and his incredible bassinet! White on white could be my new favorite.
Thanks, Elizabeth and Peter for inviting me into your home to spend time with you and Parker! xo
