Having a baby is such a massive, world-changing time for a family, and it marks the beginning of a journey filled with love, cuddles, emotions and timeless memories. One of THE MOST important investments you can make when you have a Newborn is professional Newborn photos. These photographs are timeless memories that capture the emotion of your bond and your little bundle’s adorable tiny features that change SOOO quickly!
One common question many new parents have is: How old should a newborn be for newborn photos? At Blink of an Eye Studios, we believe in capturing these moments beautifully and would like to share our thoughts and experiences with you.
What is the Golden Window for Newborn Photography?
The beginning of your little baby’s life is a mixture of emotions and changes as you adapt to a new way of life. The ideal time for a Newborn Photoshoot can come around very quickly for parents, which is why it’s a good idea to get a slot secured before your little one’s arrival. Many experienced industry experts have determined that the golden window for newborn photography is between 7 and 10 days old. However here at Blink of an Eye Studios, we will photograph Newborns up to 4 weeks old.
In the first month, newborns hold on to that adorable heart-melting newborn scrunch! They are also super sleepy from being in the womb. The newborn scrunch makes them more comfortable for all the adorable sleepy poses. With babies still being sleepy, they are also more content and will sleep through the different gentle poses, whilst being carefully handled throughout the photography session. The golden window of 7-10 days also tends to be before some babies develop baby acne or colic, which makes the shoot and editing process much smoother, resulting in more serene images.
Why Blink of an Eye Studios Photographs Up to 4 Weeks Old
While the 7 to 10-day window is idea. We appreciate that life with a newborn is hectic and some parents struggle to get to a newborn photoshoot within this timeframe. Therefore, Blink of an Eye Studios photographs babies up to 4 weeks old! Giving parents this extra flexibility for these once in a lifetime experiences means that they don’t miss out on the oh-so important Newborn photography and priceless memories due to a very narrow timeframe.
Photographing newborns up to 4 weeks old does come with its challenges! Every baby is very different! However, at the 2-week mark, newborn babies go through a growth spurt and those that are breastfeeding during this period may find that they have to spend a large amount of time feeding their newborn over a period of 24-48 hours ( I remember this stage very well- my little boy turned in to a milk monster!). When newborns go through the 2-week growth spurt they will become more alert, and you will notice a big change in the amount of time that they stay awake for. They also become more sensitive to touch, so moving them about and posing them does get more challenging, especially in some of the more traditional newborn poses. With being more alert though, it does give us the opportunity to capture some awake moments and your baby’s eyes. When we mix these in with all the sleepy poses, they are always a big hit!
Tips for a Successful Newborn Photo Session Beyond the Golden Window
Timing is Key: This is the timing with feeding, we advise bottle-fed babies to be fed at least 30 minutes before the session to allow milk to digest and ensure that their little tummies will be more comfortable. With breastfed babies, we ask you to feed your little one when you arrive, after they have been changed and wrapped for the start of their session. This helps them to get super sleepy and the state that works best for the session is a milk-drunk one!
Comfort: Keeping the room warm and cosy will help make them feel more settled. It reminds them of being inside your tummy, which is why we often wrap them to help them settle. They also find white noise comforting, so we have w white noise machine playing throughout the session.
Patience, Patience and then a little more patience: Newborns can be unpredictable, and we always work on the baby’s schedule. It’s so important to be flexible and patient. Our experienced photographer has been named the Baby Whisperer by so many of the parents that she has had through the studio, with many of them asking if she is available to come home with them! She is experienced in soothing and calming them and reading baby’s cues. All of this enables us to make sure the baby is happy throughout, meaning that we don’t rush the process.
Personal Touch: Why not make your Newborn shoot more personal to you by bringing along something to your photoshoot. You could bring something that’s been passed down through the generations, something that has been personalised, a teddy, or something that reflects your career or passions. We have had so many different ones varying from lightsabres to bike helmets!
Why Choose Blink of an Eye Studios
At Blink of an Eye Studios, we understand the importance of capturing the beauty and precious memories of your newborn in a way that captures emotion. Natalie (aka The Baby Whisperer) is very skilled at working with newborns up to 4 weeks old, ensuring that every family leaves with heartwarming photos that will be treasured for a lifetime.
We pride ourselves on our ability to create a warm, welcoming environment for both parents and their newborns, making your photography session a memorable and enjoyable experience.
The newborn phase absolutely whizzes past! Which makes Newborn photography so important and a priceless investment.
While the golden window of 7 to 10 days is ideal for newborn photos, Blink of an Eye Studios’ flexibility up to 4 weeks ensures that no family misses out on the opportunity to capture these once in a lifetime moments.
We would love to share this journey with you, and we would be honoured to capture these precious memories of your adorable little bundle. Photos are the one thing that we look back on year after year that remind us of not only how tiny they really were, but all the small details that get blurred with all the different stages of their childhood.
