Firstly, if you are expecting or have recently welcomed a new baby to your family - congratulations, and thank you for finding me! It’s such a whirlwind but exciting time and I am always honoured to play a small part in families journey.
Those first few weeks with a new baby can feel like a complete blur. You're getting to know your little person, recovering from birth, navigating feeds and sleep, and adjusting to life as a family.
Amid all of that, you might be wondering whether you should book a newborn photoshoot and not 100% sure on how it all works, or if you need to do it when they are a few weeks old.
The good news? You absolutely don't have to do it on a particular timeframe. While those early newborn days can be beautiful to photograph, there are so many lovely reasons to wait a few months, or even have your baby photographed at different stages throughout their first year.
As a family and newborn photographer based near Edenbridge, Kent, I love capturing families in a relaxed, natural way. Here's a little guide to newborn photography, what to expect from a session, and why there really is no single perfect time.
1. Newborn photos don't have to happen in the first two weeks
Traditional posed newborn photography often takes place when babies are around 5–14 days old, when they're typically sleepier and can be easier to photograph in curled-up poses.
But lifestyle newborn photography like mine is different. Rather than trying to achieve a particular pose, the focus is on your baby, your connection and those first days of getting to know one another.
This means there's no strict deadline.
You might love the idea of photographs in the first few weeks, capturing tiny fingers, sleepy cuddles and the way your baby fits into your arms and if so I will come to your house and we can have a really relaxed session together capturing those details in the most natural way. Or you might prefer to wait until you've had a little more time to settle into family life.
Both are lovely options. You haven't missed your chance if your baby is already a month, two months or even older.
2. The lovely things about waiting a few months
There are some wonderful benefits to having baby photos taken when your little one is a little older.
Those first smiles. Around six to eight weeks and beyond, many babies begin to offer those lovely early social smiles. Over the following months, you'll start to see more of their emerging personality, expressions and reactions.
More interaction with siblings. If you have older children, a slightly older baby may be more alert and responsive to their brothers or sisters. We can capture them chatting to the baby, making them smile, holding their hand or simply being together. These photographs can be especially meaningful as your family grows.
More variety in your photographs. As babies get older, there are new things to capture: stretching, kicking, looking around, tummy time, reaching for toys and eventually sitting up. Every stage brings something different.
A little more confidence for you. The early weeks can be physically and emotionally demanding. Waiting until you feel more settled can make the experience more enjoyable, particularly if you're recovering from birth or getting comfortable with feeding.
There is no need to rush. Your photographs should be something you look forward to, not another thing to squeeze into an already overwhelming few weeks.
3. Baby photography throughout the first year
Your baby's first birthday isn't the only milestone worth documenting. Each stage brings its own personality and possibilities.
0–6 weeks: Tiny details, sleepy cuddles and those beautiful early days together.
6–12 weeks: Emerging smiles, alert little faces and the beginnings of interaction.
3–6 months: More eye contact, laughter, expressions and interaction with parents and siblings.
6–9 months: Reaching, rolling, sitting and exploring the world around them.
9–12 months: Sitting confidently, crawling, pulling up and showing off more of their individual personality.
Of course, babies all develop at their own pace, so these are just general things you might be able to look forward to at each stage.
Your baby changes so much in the first year, so there is always a special time to capture them. It’s never too late!
4. Why not take your baby photos outdoors?
Newborn and baby photography doesn't have to mean a studio, a white backdrop or a perfectly styled setup.
If you love natural photographs, heading outdoors can be a beautiful option once you're ready. A woodland walk, a quiet field, a country garden or a favourite local spot can provide a relaxed backdrop for photographs of your growing family.
Outdoor baby photography gives older siblings space to explore and play, while we capture the little moments happening naturally around them.
And if you'd rather stay at home, that's lovely too. Your baby's nursery, your sofa, the bedroom where you've spent countless hours feeding and cuddling them — these are all meaningful places to document this chapter of family life.
The aim is to create photographs that feel like you, rather than making your family fit a particular look and I get to know all my clients well before we meet to create a photoshoot that is unique to you and makes you feel most relaxed.
Outdoor photography is my speciality and it works especially well for families with older siblings- giving them space to play and combines a family shoot with a newborn one in an effortless way. Obviously depending on the time of year an indoor shoot at home might suit better!
5. Feeding photographs: if it feels right to capture
Feeding can be a huge part of life with a new baby, whether you're breastfeeding, bottle-feeding or doing a combination of both.
For some parents, photographs of these moments become incredibly precious. For others, feeding feels very personal, and the thought of being photographed might feel uncomfortable at first.
There is no expectation either way.
If you'd like to include feeding photographs, we can do so in a way that feels natural and comfortable for you. This might be a quiet moment on the sofa, a cuddle after a feed or a more intimate photograph if that's something you want.
You can decide on the day, and you never need to include anything that doesn't feel right. Equally, there's absolutely no need to feed your baby on camera to make your session meaningful.
The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and supported and as a family photographer I pride myself on creating a relaxed environment, we chat, talk about the early days and before you know it, it often feels like friends catching up - I just happen to have a camera!
Capturing the intimacy of motherhood in a natural and relaxed way can all be part of your newborn and baby photoshoot, if it feels right for you. There are lots of ways to do this, from the more intimate to the more subtle. I will adapt to what feels right for your family on the day.
6. What happens during a newborn photography session?
One of the biggest worries new parents have is whether their baby will cooperate. What if they need feeding? What if they cry? What if they need changing just as we're getting started?
These are all completely normal parts of life with a newborn, and they're built into the way I work and part of what we capture.
My newborn sessions are designed to feel calm, relaxed and low-pressure. There's no expectation that your baby will sleep throughout, that your home will be immaculate or that everything will go to plan.
We work around your baby, not the other way around.
There's plenty of time for:
Feeds and winding.
Nappy changes and outfit changes.
Cuddles, soothing and settling.
Little breaks whenever anyone needs them.
Older siblings to take a moment or have some space.
We won't rush through a list of poses or worry about the clock every time your baby needs something. Some of the loveliest photographs happen in the pauses between everything else: a cuddle while you're settling your baby, a sibling peeking into the cot or a quiet moment together on the sofa. My sessions are usually around 2-2.5hrs to allow for all the above, but if we have all the photos we need I also wont outstay!
You don't need a spotless house or a perfectly prepared family. A little natural light, a few comfortable spaces and, most importantly, your family all together are what we need!
So, when should you book your baby photoshoot?
The best time is the time that feels right for you.
If you love the idea of documenting those tiny early days, a newborn session can be wonderful and I reccomend you get in touch with me a few months before you are due so we can pencil in a rough time and I will of course be as flexible as possible when your baby arrives. If you'd rather wait until you're feeling more settled, or until your baby is smiling and interacting with their siblings, that's just as valuable and you can contact me when you feel ready. I have lots more flexibility mid-week if that works with maternity leave and work schedules, but I also work Saturday and Sunday.
As a Kent newborn and family photographer, I offer a relaxed, natural approach to capturing your family as it grows, whether that's in the early newborn days, at a few months old or later in families journey.
If you're looking for newborn or motherhood photography in Kent, around Edenbridge, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, Oxted and the surrounding areas, I'd love to hear what stage you're at and what you'd like to remember.
Get in touch to chat about a newborn or baby photoshoot. We can find an approach and a time that feels right for you and your family. I’d love to work with you and be part of this special new chapter!
Katie x
Get in touch to chat more if lifestyle baby/ newborn photography sounds like the right fit for you and your family.
Contact me today and let’s get planning! :)