You are expecting a baby!! This is such an exciting, terrifying, happy, roller coaster of an emotional time! When families inquire about a newborn photo session here in Victoria, B.C., I always tell them to call or email a few months in advance of their baby’s due date. If interested in booking a maternity photo session, the most comfortable time for this is around 34-36weeks.

If your baby has already arrived, congratulations!! We try to have you into the studio to photograph your baby in the first two weeks. I ask families to let me know in the first few days once your baby has arrived and then we book a newborn photography session in our Victoria BC studio. It often takes a few days of emails back and forth to find the right date and by then we are booking into the second week. My favorite (and I feel most optimal) time for your baby to come into the studio for their baby pictures is between 10-14 days. Families often have a bit more of a feeding routine established and parents are already getting to know the diaper changes, car seats etc. Babies are still pretty sleepy which is perfect for their pictures!! They naturally need a lot of time to grow and develop in their sleep and are still really curly and can comfortably go into the newborn photo posing positions. 

For some families you may miss that first couple weeks window. Some little ones arrive weeks early. Others don’t decide on newborn pictures until your baby arrives! If your little one is more than 3 weeks early then we always wait until the baby is at their corrected age for the photoshoot (their due date). If mom and babe have spent extra time in the hospital they may have missed that window also. 

If you are not able to schedule a newborn photoshoot in the first 2 weeks then you can book into the 3rd, 4th or 5th!! Babies will typically start to spend longer periods more awake, they are less curly and they are starting to stretch out and grow larger and stronger. They are less apt to sleep through a full session and may also not manage some of the poses. However, you may have a wakeful session and this can be more of a lifestyle session.  In this case we tend to focus on your baby’s little faces, expressions, stretches, yawns and the connection with your family.

If parents have missed the first few weeks I often encourage them to book a 3 or 4 month session (or a 100 days celebration!). In these sessions we capture baby’s expressions, funny faces and their engagement with the camera and with their parents. This is another ideal time for families, especially those who have missed their traditional newborn photo shoot. It is also the time that most babies start to smile and engage which is such a precious time to capture.

I can’t wait to meet you and your growing family and to capture this amazing time in your life. Look forward to meeting your family and new baby in the studio soon!

Warmly, Amanda

Your Victoria Newborn Baby Photographer xo