After your newborn session, the next best time for portraits is the sitter milestone. This is usually between 6-8 months. Your little one has grown and changed so much, and this is such a fun time to capture all of their unique little expressions and personality quirks! Smiles, giggles, big beautiful eyes that may have recently changed color… maybe even some bottom teeth popping through!
This guide will walk you though how to make the most of your milestone portrait session.
Focus on stages, not ages.
Some babies master sitting up at 6 months. For many others, it can be closer to 7 or 8 months. Every baby hits this milestone in their own time and that’s ok! I can not stress enough that with this session we want to focus on stages, not ages.
If your little one isn’t sitting up on their own yet we will do back and tummy poses, much like we would in a roller session. We can try to sit them in a deep bucket but not every baby is comfortable or has the neck and back strength to pose in that way. If baby starts to feel unsteady or starts to feel like they are going to fall it can scare them, and the session will likely be over.
That said, there are some families that really want those 6-month “half birthday” photos and if that’s important to you we can definitely make it happen! Just be aware that it will likely result in different images and expressions than a sitter session.
What to bring
- 2-3 outfits
- A pacifier and bottle (if baby takes them)
- A drool cloth
A sitter session is about 45-60 minutes long. We do a maximum of 2-3 outfits because after that baby tends to get sleepy and is generally just “over it.” It’s tough work being a model!
I do have a few outfits available for you to use in studio, so if you’re having trouble finding something you love at home just reach out to me and I can share what is currently in my client closet. This is also a really fun age for naked baby photos before they can crawl (or run) away!
Tips for a successful session
- Timing: Little ones love to randomly change up their schedule, but ideally we want to schedule the session first thing in the morning or after a nap. A well-rested (and well-fed) baby is a happy baby!
- Feeding: Ideally we want baby to have a full feed before the session, but we can absolutely stop and let them have a quick breastfeed or bottle if they need it.
- Patience: It’s not uncommon for “stranger danger” to set in around this age, so while your baby may be all smiles and giggles at home, there’s no guarantee that they will “perform” in the same way in the studio. Your little one will also most likely be teething, which can bring its own set of challenges. Regardless, we can still get some beautiful images!
Are you interested in creating beautiful milestone portraits for your baby? Head on over to the milestones page for more information, including galleries and basic pricing. If you like what you see visit the contact page to start the conversation!
I can’t wait to create something special for you.
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