Milestone Session Photography: Why Baby’s First Year Deserves More Than One Session

Whether you are an expecting first-time mom or one who is about to have her final baby (and knows how fast it really all goes!), milestone session photography can be intimidating as you figure out which of your baby’s milestones are actually worth photographing. Most parents know they want to capture more than one moment but are not sure which ages matter most or how to space the sessions out. As a Virginia Beach newborn and family photographer, I have a lot of experience with capturing the first year of a baby’s life and have specific stages that I suggest are important to documenting. Through this blog post, I will explain the stages that I recommend, what each one captures, and how it all comes together into one story of your baby’s first year!

Are you considering milestone session photography for your baby but not sure where to start?

Sharing some information and tips below!

Why should you document more than one session during the first year?

The short answer: the first year moves fast, and capturing it at a few key stages gives you a complete story instead of a single snapshot. A baby changes so incredibly much during the first year and if you only do one session, you are only capturing a sliver of that! By using milestone session photography and documenting different stages and milestones, you ensure that you have all these moments documented (in a professional and beautiful way!) to look back on for years to come.

The Newborn Session

Your baby’s first year starts the moment he or she arrives, and a newborn session captures those tiny early days before everything changes. As a newborn photographer (and mama to four myself!), I typically recommend that the best time for those sweet, sleepy newborn photos is around two weeks old. At this time, we can get the curled up poses, baby’s itty bitty features, and show just how tiny they are at the very start. I love to capture the details that parents want to remember – like the little fingers, head of hair, or the way that the baby fits perfectly into dad’s one arm.

I typically suggest that the entire immediate family is part of the newborn session. This can include the tired (but happy!!) parents, curious older siblings, and even furry family members if this applies to your family. The newborn season is truly a special one and my hope is that these photos will become cherished memories for years to come and will take you right back to those first fleeting days.

You can learn more information about my newborn sessions here or here.

The Six Month Session

Six months is the classic milestone session because babies can usually sit up on their own, which opens up a whole new range of adorable, interactive photos. This is truly one of my favorite ages to photograph, as they still look like little babies but are so expressive and fun! Many babies are also sitting up at this point (or close, which we can make work!!) – which unlocks fun new poses, lots of eye contact, and precious big open mouthed grins.

Six month sessions can be done outdoors or in my natural-lit studio in the Great Neck area of Virginia Beach. I love to incorporate some classic props such as a basket, textured blanket, or a favorite toy. These sessions can easily become a parent’s favorite gallery and truly are so incredibly cute.

The One Year Session

Many parents like to celebrate their little one’s birthday with a cake smash session. These let baby dig into a cake on camera, capturing pure, messy joy at the end of the first year. These sessions can be done indoors at my studio or outdoors, depending on the time of year. I love to incorporate some classic props like a timeless high chair and cake stands (that is available for all sessions!).

It’s always cute to see how baby reacts – some love it and some are more timid and reserved, which is usually such a great mark of his or her personality caught on camera! For more information on cake smash sessions, you can see this post!

Other Milestone Session You Can Consider

Two sessions that parents sometimes like to add for milestone session photography (and are super cute!!) are the three month and nine month milestones. Three months is the point that baby’s personality is first starting to show – this is a real turning point for them (and their parents!) as they are able to first make eye contact, show real smiles, and engage with those they love.

At nine months, most babies are crawling, pulling up, and showing off big personalities. This session is typically fun and full of movement, and results in a gallery of special, energetic images. Immediate families are welcome (and encouraged!) to join in both the three month and nine month sessions.

The Baby Plan

As a newborn and family photographer, I offer a baby plan which bundles your baby’s milestone sessions into one experience, so you book once and capture the whole year without scrambling to schedule each session separately. This plan is ideal for my clients because it saves parents money, time, and the stress of rebooking at each stage.

The baby plan includes a newborn, six month and one year session at a bundled price – and has an option to add a three or nine month session if you want! If you are interested in getting more information about milestone session photography or about the plan or any of the sessions included, I would love to chat! You can inquire here or email me at ashleybricknerphoto@gmail.com.

If you liked this post, you would enjoy a post about Minneapolis maternity and newborn photography from Michele!

FAQs

Do I have to book every milestone session?

Of course not! You have the option to book as little (or as many!) stand alone milestone sessions that you would like (as long as I have the availability). If you choose the baby plan, three milestone sessions are included: the newborn session, the six month session, and the one year year session. You can also choose to add on a three or nine month session if you would like to!

What should my baby wear for these milestone photos?

Styling is one of my favorite parts of the process of milestone session photography! I love to help with the planning of the outfits as they do make a big difference in the final outcome of your photos and typically do suggest a neutral color palette to keep the focus on the baby! Once you book your session, you will receive a Session Prep Guide which will include outfit tips and inspiration. I also offer an option to book a Prep + Planning call to brainstorm ideas on styling if you are interested in that!

What if my baby is not sitting up yet at six months?

This is completely normal and easy to work around. I can adjust posing to accomodate a baby who is not quite sitting up yet by incorporating other family members and/or props in the photos. We can also adjust timing if needed and your session will still turn out beautifully!

Can parents and siblings join in on the milestone sessions?

Immediate family members are welcome (and encouraged!) in all milestone sessions included in the baby plan. I do also offer stand alone milestone sessions both with and without immediate family members, depending on what you are looking for.