Photography for 7 months Milestone Portraits is highly recommended and is a great time for capturing your baby’s personality! Sometimes the biggest milestones for baby portraits are taken at 1-2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year. However, if you would like to narrow it down to just a few in the first year, my recommendation would be newborn, 6-7 months, and 1 year.
Of course we try to aim for 6 months, when babies are often starting to sit up, but many still need support at this point. So I often photograph sitter sessions at 7 months, when many babies are sitting unassisted. If your baby needs a little longer, that is fine too! This is just an average. But if you can schedule your session before your baby is crawling, that is also a great option. They may sit still better for portraits before they are really on the move.
7 Months Milestone Portraits
Parents and siblings are included in your studio session, because we get so many great images of you interacting with your baby. Nobody can quite make baby smile more than mom and dad can! But I promise when they are looking in my direction, I keep the session lighthearted and fun. I sing and dance and if it doesn’t get your baby to laugh, usually both the parents are laughing at me. 😉
Here is Rebecca Leigh Photography’s list of Frequently Asked Questions about Milestone Portraits. While these are in reference to Baby’s First Year, the photos in this blog post highlight 7 Months Milestone Portraits, one of my favorite baby stages.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should we take Milestone portraits?
Milestones portraits can be taken at any time during baby’s first year. I recommend Milestones at 6-9 months and then again at one year. You may want to wait until your baby is able to sit up unassisted, and for many babies this is closer to 7 months. But should you want to take the photos sooner, we can use pillows or props to help your baby sit for photos. And babies can also do tummy poses at any stage. One year portraits with or without a cake smash are great too!
How long is a Milestones Session?
I find that 45 minutes is about the max for most babies. Some babies may be shy or hesitant and this gives them plenty of time to warm up to having their photo taken, if needed. Sometimes we are able to start taking photos right away and finish the session in half of the time. You may opt to do an outfit change at the session, and have photos with two outfits taken.
What is included in the session?
I offer a variety of clean and well-maintained blankets, hats, headbands, baskets, buckets, and backdrops for your selection during the session. I also have a small client closet clothing collection, if you would like to borrow an outfit. These baby rompers are not like clothing found in stores; they are custom made for photography and they are so cute! So whether or not you choose to dress your baby in the client closet clothing, see my recommendations for the types of shops that make outfits that are timeless and perfect for Milestones Sessions. More info on outfit selection below.
When do we schedule a session date?
You can book your session as far in advance as you would like. Especially during the fall, it is important to get on my schedule a couple of months in advance. We plan your baby’s session time around nap time so we have a happy baby! Sessions take place on Tuesdays-Fridays between 10am-2pm. If you join the Membership, especially when your baby is a newborn, then I reach out to you to schedule your subsequent sessions. This way you don’t have to worry about remembering and I will let you know when my calendar dates open.
How do we get a crawler to sit still for photos?
If your baby is beginning to crawl, already crawling, or walking, the key to keeping your baby still for a moment is toys. I know we don’t necessarily want brightly colored toys in our portraits, so I keep a handful of small, unobtrusive wooden toys in the studio. The small wooden toys keep your baby entertained for long enough to take pictures. And in many cases these toys enhance the photos, rather than detract from them. Your baby may show us some of his or her cute expressions while holding or playing with the toys. I clean the toys after every session, but if you prefer to bring your own, one suggestion would be to bring Amigurumi lovies. They are adorable knit stuffed animals and have a nice organic look. Little wooden cars and rattles are also a great suggestion.
