When To Take Newborn Photos: The Ultimate Guide

Life with a newborn can be a blur. The days can seem long when you’re in them, but they fly by pretty quickly in the scheme of things. One thing you won’t want to forget to do with your newborn is having a newborn photoshoot. But you might find yourself wondering when to take newborn photos.

While knowing the best time for newborn photos is crucial, there are some other things you’ll want to learn about before a newborn photoshoot.

In this article, you’ll find everything you should know before getting newborn photos taken. From when to take newborn photos to what to wear, we’ve got you covered!

Let’s get started!

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When should you take newborn photos?

While there is no perfect answer to when you should have newborn photos taken, the optimal time to take newborn photos is between 7-10 days old. You want to have these precious photos taken early because your newborn still sleeps quite frequently.

When your baby is sleepy and relaxed for their newborn photos, it’s more likely that the photographer will catch the sweet little sleeping faces they make from time to time. Plus, the photographer might have an easier time swaddling and posing them while they’re sleeping.

Also, your baby is still pretty curled up in their first couple of weeks. Because they haven’t stretched out their limbs much yet, they can get curled up in a swaddle wrap and be in poses similar to how they spent their time in your belly.

Now, don’t stress if you can’t have a newborn photoshoot within their first 7-10 days. Many things can factor into your child having a later photoshoot. But their first professional photos will be just as special, even if you can’t have them done until they’re a month old or older.

When is the best time of day to take newborn photos?

Now that you know the best time frame to take newborn photos, you might wonder what time of day is best for the pictures. The time you have your newborn’s photos taken can depend on several things.

First, the time you have your newborn photoshoot can rely on your photographer’s availability. If they book newborn photoshoots around the same time, you’ll likely have to go with what they have open.

If your photographer’s schedule is relaxed, consider whether you’ll have the photos taken indoors or outdoors. When taking pictures indoors, you can be flexible with the time because you won’t need natural lighting.

But if you’re having the photos outside, you’ll want to have the photoshoot whenever the natural light is the best.

If you can choose the time for your newborn photos, mid-morning is generally best. Having the photoshoot mid-morning will give you plenty of time to prepare yourself and your baby. And chances are your baby will be getting ready to nap around mid-morning.

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How to Find the Right Newborn Photographer

A crucial step in having a newborn photoshoot is finding the right photographer. The easiest thing to do is search on Google or Facebook to find a newborn photographer near you. Once you have found a few potential photographers, you’ll want to consider a few things:

What’s your budget?

First, you’ll want to consider how much you want to spend on your newborn’s photos. Often, you can find a good photographer at most price ranges, so you’ll want to talk to your partner to decide how much is too much.

Then, once you find some photographers to consider, you can rule out the ones that will be too expensive for your budget.

Review Their Portfolio

The next thing you should do once you’ve found a photographer is looking at their online photo gallery. One of the quickest ways to rule someone out is if you don’t like their photography style.

Do they specialize in newborn photos?

Another thing you’ll want to consider when searching for a newborn photographer is if they specialize in working with babies. You’ll want someone who specializes in working with newborns because they will know the best ways to pose them while keeping safety in mind.

Are you comfortable with them?

And last but not least, are you comfortable with the photographer? Once you reach out to them and either meet up or speak on the phone, you’ll want to ensure that you feel satisfied with the interaction.

Ask yourself if they felt genuine and if you think their personality will be easy to work with for the photoshoot.

When to Book a Newborn Photographer

After you’ve researched and found a couple of photographers you like, you’ll want to look into the booking process. Most photographers will have their own policies on booking, especially since newborns come on their own schedule, so you’ll want to verify that with the photographer.

Also, don’t forget to check with the hospital where you’ll have your baby. Many hospitals will provide you with a complimentary newborn photo while you’re in the hospital, and you might have a choice to get more than just one photo.

At our hospital, they gave us a complimentary newborn photo that was taken in a little studio room in the hospital. The photographer who does those photos has packages we could purchase if we wanted to have more of a photoshoot rather than one picture, and that’s what we did. We came back a week after our son was born, and he was able to have his newborn photos done!

What to Wear to a Newborn Photography Session

It’s easy to say that many new moms stress about what to wear to a newborn photoshoot. Here are some things to consider:

If your photoshoot is only for the baby, you don’t have to worry about much when it comes to clothing. Most times, newborns are in a diaper and swaddled in a gauze wrap, so you don’t have to plan an outfit unless you have something sentimental for them to wear.

Our newborn photographer suggested bringing a special hat or headband for our baby to wear in some photos.

If your photoshoot includes family shots as well, you’ll want to plan out coordinating neutral outfits. You’ll want to choose neutral outfits because you won’t want anything too bright or patterned that’s going to distract from your sweet new baby.

PRO MAMA TIP: Always choose something comfortable that fits you well and makes you feel confident. Don’t even bother with pre-pregnancy clothes for a newborn photoshoot! You will still be recovering and tired, so you want to be as comfortable and relaxed as possible.

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Should a newborn photoshoot be in the hospital?

When you think of newborn photos, you often picture a small photoshoot in the hospital room. While taking newborn photos when you’re still in the hospital can happen, it might not be the most relaxed option for you.

As I mentioned above, our son’s newborn photos were taken at the hospital, but it was a week after he was born, and there was a particular studio room with better lighting to use.

What you want to avoid when taking professional photos in the hospital is the harsh lighting that most rooms have. Plus, if you take newborn pictures within a few days after birth, you will be even more exhausted and sore.

How long does a newborn photography session last?

Typically, a newborn photoshoot takes around an hour, but depending on your photographer, it can take close to two hours from start to finish.

Some things that can affect how long your session lasts are diaper changes, feeding breaks, outfit changes, and even backdrop changes. If you don’t have too many backdrop changes or outfits to swap out, you can expect it to be closer to an hour-long session.

When my son had his newborn photos, it was less than an hour. He had a few backdrop and swaddle changes, a feeding, and a diaper change, which made the session go closer to an hour.

Should you use newborn photo props?

If you’ve ever searched on Pinterest for newborn photo inspiration, I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of adorable crocheted baby outfits. These cute little hats and accessories are called photo props.

A lot of times, newborn photo props can be distracting from your sweet little one. So, if there are photo props you’re dying to use, ensure they aren’t too over the top. Your new baby is the star of these photos, and you don’t want too much to draw attention away from that!

If you want to use something to make your photos stand out, a beautiful headband or hat can be just the thing you need.

And there you have it; when to take newborn photos. I hope you’ve gathered everything you need to know about taking newborn photos and feel prepared for this special photoshoot. You will always look back at these pictures with such fondness!

Before you go, check out these related articles:

When did you plan to take newborn photos? I would love to know in the comments below!

When To Take Newborn Photos: The Ultimate Guide

When should you take newborn photos?

When is the best time of day to take newborn photos?