When you schedule a newborn session I always recommend that we schedule it for the first 10 days of your babies life. It truly is amazing the development your baby goes through by the end of that first month.  All in all if we can’t get your appointment within that time period, don’t worry, it’s not the end of the world.

Here are a few pros and cons of the different time periods and why age matters:

1 month (plus or minus):

• Babies start to smile from joy with you. It is still not all the time, but it is a start.
• There is a better chance they can “make eye contact.” (Interesting fact, kids don’t develop their full adult vision till age 3. At 1 month you are just a big blobby blur to them)
• They don’t sleep nearly as much or deep as the newborns up to 10 days old. This makes it much more difficult to get wall worthy art pieces and a good portrait in general.
• If they are not sleeping you are rolling the dice on the moods. Let’s face it, days of asking your child to calmly sit there and smile at the camera are still far far away.
• If they are not sleeping it is also much harder to wrap babies for that peaceful blissful look. One month olds still don’t have a handle on their arms, legs or hands so wrapping is a way to help them feel in control and help them stay still. (It also helps prevent those inevitable middle fingers or gang signs)

Up to 10 days old (click the link to see an example):

• Babies tend to sleep longer making more time to photograph and a smoother more versatile session
• They tend to like being wrapped still love being curl up into “womb like” poses (Some examples here)
• The great non sleeping images are fewer and further between because…
  • Many babies tend to be cross eyed when they are born and slowly straighten out as time passes
  • A reiteration from above about not having a handle on their arms/ legs/ hands but even more so at this age.
• Smiles are fewer as they tend to not smile at or with you unless a bodily function just made them feel better.

That all being said, here are a few images from Clara’s 1 month photo session. To view her up to 10 days photo session click here. Just remember, every baby is different!