When Is the Best Time For Newborn Photos
The best time for newborn photos is when the baby is still sleepy. Ideally this is between 7 – 14 days old. However, all babies are different and this may vary slightly. If you aim for the sweet spot of 10 days old you can’t go wrong. 
The Best time for Newborn Photography
Long before I started photographing newborns, I was always fascinated with how the best photographers such as Anne Geddes managed to pose the babies.
(Who’s read the book Garden Friends with all the cute babies inside flower petals and vases?) It looked like Anne was able to pose the babies with such ease.
They always looks so comfortable, sleepy, and well posed.
Back in the late 90’s I mostly photographed older babies, children and families. When a newborn did book in with me they were already at 4-5 weeks old. As a result I really struggled to get the best images unless luck was on my side.
Even then, my posing of newborn babies had yet to be refined.
It’s only after years of hard work and experience that I discovered the best time to photograph newborn babies is around 10 days old.
I call this time the sweet spot for newborn photography.
Why is 10 Days The Best Time For Newborn Photography?
As a guide I work with the range of 7 – 14 days and here’s the reasons why.
The baby’s first 7 days after birth is best spent with mummy and the family. Mummy is generally too tired to be travelling to photoshoots and standing around in a photography studio. This is even more important if mummy has had difficult birth. A newborn baby also needs that first 7 days to recoup after being born.
So I always advise not to have any professional photography in the first 7 days.
Between 7 and 14 days babies are still sleepy, especially after feeding. This makes the sessions easier and I’m able to be more creative.
A well fed sleeping baby is the easiest to pose. This allows me to create the different poses and take many photos in a short space of time, making the photoshoot a lot easier for mum and the baby.
After 14 days babies start to become more alert, looking around, smiling, and of course crying. However, this timing varies between babies, as you know they are all unique.
Without doubt, a sleepy baby is best to work with and experience has taught me that newborn photography at 10 days old is ideal.
Older than 14 Days?
Yes, absolutely. 7 – 14 days is the ideal time for newborn photography. However, you certainly can have a photoshoot anytime after your baby is 14 days old.
The main difference is that the photoshoot will require more time for newborns and babies older than 14 days. In addition, some of the poses will be much more difficult or even impossible to achieve if the baby isn’t sleeping.
Sometimes it’s not always possible to have your baby professionally photographed before 14 days.
If the baby is poorly after birth, premature or mother has had a C – Section, all these can add delays to getting your baby photographed. After mother has had a C-section it takes around 6 weeks for to fully recover before attending a photoshoot.
But don’t worry, all newborn babies or babies under 1 year are welcome to have a photoshoot with us.
We will try to plan the photoshoot ahead of time based on the initial consultation. Then on the day it will depend on the baby and how baby responds to the posing. Because older babies don’t stay still for long I’m capable of taking shots very quickly to capture the perfect moment. Thus making a chaotic scene look peaceful and serene.
More often than not most babies are well behaved and everything will go according to plan.
The Best Time Of Day
In my experience the best time of day is mid to late morning or 9am to 12noon. This is usually after they’ve had a feed and settled down for a nap.
Because we rely on the baby being asleep to get the most creative poses, a photoshoot always best after the baby has had a feed.
If your baby wakes at 5am – 7am then their next feed is going to be around 8am – 10am if they feed every 3 hours and 9am – 11am if they feed every 4 hours.
It’s best to discuss your baby’s feeding times on the initial consultation. That will help arrange the best time slot for your newborn baby photography in our Manchester studio.
Fear not if your baby is wide awake during a photo session because I have more tips and tricks on how to settle a fussy awake baby. I ALWAYS get the best images for mummy and daddy in the end.
If you have your due date then get in touch and we can have a chat about booking you in at the best time for newborn photos. Click the button below to book or leave a message..
Book early to avoid disappointment because time slots are limited