Should you be looking for a baby photographer or a newborn photographer? What’s the difference? If you’ve already had a newborn photo session for your baby, how will their baby milestone photo sessions be different? As a Bucks County photographer, I hear questions like these often, and I’m happy to help! I’ve put together this helpful guide with everything you need to know about these two types of photo sessions.
Where’s the Line Between Newborn Photography and Baby Photography?
Not everyone knows the distinction between newborn photography and baby photography because, after all, a newborn is a baby. So where’s the line between when a baby is no longer a newborn for newborn portraits?
Generally, newborn photos are taken within your baby’s first four weeks of life, although you can still take newborn photos for several weeks after this point. Baby photography, on the other hand, is any photo session that takes place after those first weeks of life.
Baby photography is also referred to as milestone photography because it’s meant to celebrate special milestones in your baby’s first year, like sitter session photography (when a baby can sit up on their own) and first birthday photography. You don’t need a specific milestone for a baby photo session, though!
How a Newborn Photo Session and a Baby Photo Session are Different
As I mentioned, baby photo sessions and newborn photo sessions are conducted in different ways. There are several key differences between these photo shoots (other than your baby’s age, of course).
The Focus of the Session
When your baby is first born, you fall in love with that tiny little face and you want to remember it forever. That’s what newborn photography is all about capturing this brief moment in time and preserving the memory of how tiny and new your baby is.
Baby photography, on the other hand, goes the opposite direction. Your baby is still little and adorable, of course, but these photo sessions focus on highlighting how much your baby is growing and changing. They’re opportunities for your baby to show off the new skills they’re learning, from rolling over to sitting to crawling and more.
The Atmosphere of the Session
If you’ve had a newborn session for your baby, when you return for a milestone photo session, you’ll notice quite a difference! In a newborn session, we want your baby to sleep soundly as much as possible, so the atmosphere in the studio is very soft, peaceful, and cozy.
In baby photography, though, we want all the fabulous baby grins and giggles we can get. The atmosphere is more fun and energized so we can get your baby in the mood to ham it up for the camera.
Booking Custom Photography for Your Baby
Newborn photography and baby photography might be very different, but they do share something important: the opportunity to create cherished, custom heirlooms that you and your family will treasure. To learn more or to book your baby’s custom photo session, contact Samantha Wilson Photography today.