When Is The Best Time To Have Family Portraits Taken? Part 1

The number one question we get at our portrait photography studio is "When is the best time to get family portraits done?"

Such a simple question that is just so difficult to answer! Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and allows us to see things so clearly, the only problem is that when it comes to family portraiture, by the time you are looking back, its too late! You can’t get newborn pictures of a one year old, and even at 1month, your baby has changed so much from those first few days. We have put together a guide that will help answer that original question, and give you some things to think about when you come to deciding when to schedule your shoots. 

The First Year

In the first year, time seems to speed up and slow down all at the same time. Days roll into one amid late night feeds, day time sleeps ,and an amazing number of nappy changes. Every day there are ground breaking moments: the first smile, the first sleeping through the night, first steps, words, and teeth. I believe that there are 3 main shoots that you can consider in this first year. It might stemlike a lot, but the change in your baby is so great in these initial stages, with their body totally changing from a helpless little ball, to sitting and finally standing and walking and talking. 

Newborn - 3 months

Quiet moments just sitting and watching baby sleep. The delight in their eyes when they see your face, the amazing strenght with which they can grasp you finger. This is the perfect age for our Newborn Shoot. Beautiful, quiet moments , captured in black and white, which will capture forever just how tiny this little person was. In years to come, you will look at these images and shake your head in amazement as you pick up size 13 basket ball boots that are lying around  the bathroom floor. We aim to capture the closeness and security they feel when being held by Mum and Dad and marvel in the contrasts in size and texture This is a fleeting moment  that is passed through all too quickly. This is not a time for images of your baby smiling at the camera - it might happen, ( but that could also just  be wind ! ) These images are about the relative size. How tiny she was in Dads hands or how he snuggled into Mums shoulder.

6 months - 9 months

It’s amazing what 6 months can do! No longer the snuggling, helpless baby, at this age life is lived at full pace - with lots of naps!!
Bright eyes and personality in spades, they have a full time job exploring the world that surrounds them. Babies at this age don’t exist in the world by themselves, and Mum or Dad are never far away. We like to show this in our photography, and sometimes parents are just represented, perhaps just a protective arm or a helping hand. It is also the perfect opportunity to make some beautiful, soft impressionistic portraits of Mum and baby together.

12 months

The first year has zipped by, and a cake with a single candle is the first of many more to come. A moving target full of energy and personality, with a clear idea of what they want, and when they want it! This is the perfect age for a candid environmental portrait in your home. This gives us the opportunity to make images that capture them in a time and place, and in years to come, where ever you end up living, these images with automatically transport you back to this special time.

To book your own portrait session head over to our contact page and get in touch