When to Take Newborn Photos: Examples Week by Week

12-week-old baby in a grey onesie and headband plays with her mom, who is smiling and kneeling down on her level

If you’re in the process of looking for a newborn photographer and aren’t sure when exactly the prime time is, I want to help! The question of when to take newborn photos is one I get a lot from expecting parents who are making plans before life gets overwhelming, or postpartum moms who already feel time slipping through their fingers.

Most newborn sessions happen within the first 2-4 weeks of the baby’s life to capture them when they’re as tiny and fresh as possible. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s the best option for you. I do lifestyle newborn photography and I’m also a mom myself-- so I have thoughts.

As an Orange County newborn photographer, I’m going to explain:

What your baby will be like in 2-4 week photos vs. 2-3 month photos
My actual answer to the best time for newborn photos 😘
How far out to book
What to do if the baby is early or late
What to do if you’re past the newborn window
Example photos from my work at different increments, from 1 week to 12 weeks, so you can picture your session

The Best Time to Take Newborn Photos

Three-week old baby in a crochet onesie sleeps peacefully in Dad's arms while Mom holds his hand and pats his head. Photo by Shannon Fisher Photo, an OC newborn photographer. — *Three-week-old babies are scrunchy and sleepy during newborn photoshoots*

The typical window for newborn photos is 2-4 weeks old. That’s when babies are still doing the newborn scrunch, they’re sleeping all day, and they’ll still look fresh out of the womb. The photos will be full of snuggling, yawning, cozy swaddles, and a snoozing baby.

If you time your newborn session closer to the 2-3 month mark, you’ll get photos of your baby holding their head up, making eye contact with you and the camera, and being more alert.

So depending on which phase you most want to preserve in photos, it’s up to you when you take newborn photos!

My Personal Answer: Do Your Newborn Photos When You’re Ready

Alert 12-week-old baby looks into the camera while laying on mom's lap. Photo by Shannon Fisher Photo, an OC newborn photographer. — *12-week-old babies are alert and will make eye contact with you and the camera, leading to cute shots like this*

Here’s my answer as a mom, and as someone who’s been photographing newborns (and new moms) for a long time:

The best time to take newborn photos is when you, as the mom, are ready.

Postpartum can be so emotionally and physically difficult. Don’t feel pressured to do a newborn photo session within the perfect, ideal window. A lot of Orange County families who hire me wait until the baby is 2 or 3 months old because that's when they feel mentally ready to have someone photographing them.

Personally, I was bed-bound for 8 weeks as I recovered from pubic symphysis separation (yeah I had to google it too). My newborn session with my daughter? We did it when she was 2 months old and I had to use a walker to get around. You can’t plan for everything.

If you’re not ready at 2 weeks postpartum, don’t stress: Your photographer will be there when it’s time.

What If You're Past the Newborn Window?

Older brother cuddles into baby brother, with mom and dad holding the two of them. Photo by Shannon Fisher Photo, an OC family photographer — *This baby is 4 months old-- technically not a newborn, but extremely baby-looking, right?!*

If you’re staring at your 5-month-old who suddenly looks huge, still reach out to a photographer-- it’s not too late.

Lots of moms email me in a panic after their baby is out of the newborn window (which is after 12 weeks) and they’re realizing how fast it all goes. I get it!

Don’t feel like you waited too long and it’s not worth it anymore.

Because--

Sometimes you spend time in the NICU and so your first days at home with your baby are at 4 months postpartum.
Sometimes you get hit with postpartum depression or anxiety and can’t imagine having a photographer over.
Sometimes your delivery doesn’t go as expected and you need lots of bedrest to recover (that was me).
Sometimes you’re dealing with medical issues for your baby and you barely even had time to eat in the first 3 months, let alone book a newborn session.

If that’s you, we can book a family photography session and capture your little one exactly as they are. Photos of infants older than 3 months will showcase their budding personality. We’ll capture big smiles, belly laughs, and the solid bond you’ve developed in their first few months of life.

And a huge bonus: You’ll also be more confident, more healed, and more in your groove the older your baby gets.

Examples of Newborn Photoshoots at Different Ages

Before you’ve had your baby, it can be hard to picture what they’ll look like from week to week. Here are photos of my littlest clients at different increments, from 1 week to 12 weeks, so you can picture your session.

1 week olD

When your baby is under one month old, they’ll be sleepy, scrunchy, and squinty. They’re perfect. They’ll likely sleep through the shoot, which often makes for a smooth and peaceful session with easy handoffs.

At 1-2 weeks, we can catch them before baby acne kicks in and before their first major growth spurt (and the accompanying cluster feeding) has started.

More importantly, we’ll capture that sacred phase when everything is new and you’re feeling more love than you’ve ever felt in your life. 😭

3 weeks old

Baby closes his eyes while swaddled in a rust-colored muslin cloth

If you book your newborn photographer for the 3- to 7-week mark, you’ll be more established in your routine. Your little one will be starting to smile and make facial expressions, and they might even stay awake for the whole shoot. They’ll be more alert and able to make eye contact with older siblings and the camera.

They might be a bit more fussy, but I also notice that parents are more relaxed at this point with one month of parenthood under their belt.

8 weeks old

Baby with hair sticking straight up breastfeeds as Mom places a hand on his arm. Photo by Shannon Fisher

Baby with hair sticking straight up looks into the camera while biting brother's nose. Mom is holding baby up.

Your two-month-old baby will be briefly holding their head up with support and those sweet social smiles start. They’ll start tracking moving objects and cooing, which leads to some adorable photos.

By the 8- to 11-week-old phase, they don’t need to be fed as often, which leaves room for photos of tummy time and interacting with you.

12 weeks old

Your three-month-old baby will be able to lift their head more confidently and they’ll start grabbing toys and bringing their hands to their mouth. They’ll be pretty good at making eye contact with you and the camera, leading to sweet photos like you see here.

On your end, at 12 weeks, you’ll hopefully be feeling way more like yourself. You’ll have the hang of your baby and your rhythms, right before they exit the newborn stage and officially become an infant (eee!).

4-6 months olD

In an in-home photography session by Shannon Fisher, Mom holds her baby up to her eye level and opens her mouth wide at him. Baby mimics her expression, looking bright-eyed.

Just to show you that it’s not too late to do a newborn photoshoot past the 12-week mark, look at these cutie 4- to 6-month-old babies.

These are definitely still babies! I love how much of their personalities you can see and how alert they are to the world.

Now having a toddler myself, when I look back at photos of my daughter anytime before she turned 1, she feels tiny. You’ll be glad you scheduled a session even if you wished you had done it sooner.

How Far Out Should You Book a Newborn Photographer?

Baby with piercing blue eyes and white headband stares at the camera with a neutral expression. Her dad is holding her, but you just see his torso and his hand across her. — *12 weeks old*

If you’re able, reach out to a potential photographer in your 3rd trimester (or 2nd trimester if you’re really on top of it) and ask about their availability around your due date.

If you reach out during pregnancy, we can also do a maternity session before the baby arrives. I recommend doing maternity photos around 30-34 weeks.

Once you’ve booked your photographer, you’ll reach out once the baby is born to get your exact session date on the calendar. We will talk about how you’re doing postpartum, and we’ll figure out what might feel best for the timing: Are you ready to do this soon or do you want to wait a bit?

What Happens If My Baby Arrives Early or Late?

Mom smiles at her 1-week old baby wrapped in a brown blanket. Dad sits off to the side on the bed. — *1 week old*

As a newborn photographer, I know that expecting parents can’t control when their baby comes, so I keep the date flexible.

If the baby is early, we can have our session sooner than we originally had planned. If the baby is late, we can have our session later. No sweat! The reality of being a family photographer is that you can’t plan exactly when to take newborn photos until the baby is here.

Ready to Schedule Your Newborn Session?

Mom touches noses to her baby. She has her eyes closed and smiles. The baby smiles too. — *12 weeks old*

As I went through those early weeks with my daughter Violet, I was always shocked to see how fast she grew. When you’re in it, everything feels slow, but then you scroll back in your photo library and feel like you don’t even recognize that baby from a few weeks ago. The newborn phase is a fleeting 12 weeks-- and I’d be honored to capture it.

My vibe as a lifestyle newborn photographer: unposed and artful. I do in-home documentary-style newborn sessions, which means I’ll capture you, your partner, your baby, and any older siblings in your everyday life.

You can see my full family photo gallery here or ask about my availability so we can get your Orange County, California newborn session booked. If you’re an expecting mom in Irvine, Laguna Beach, Anaheim, Tustin, Brea, Costa Mesa, or beyond, I would love to be your OC family photographer.