Missed your Newborn Session? Welcome to the World of Older Baby Portraiture

May 21, 2020  •  Leave a Comment

Beautiful Baby Photography

The Joy of Older Baby Portraiture

There will be many new parents feeling sad at having missed their planned newborn portrait session thanks to the current Coronavirus lockdown.

As a mum and professional newborn photographer, I completely understand the disappointment. After all, what new parent doesn't want to create a permanent reminder of their brand-new baby’s early days?

You may have read that the ideal window for newborn photography is before baby reaches two weeks of age.  Lets have a look at that, shall we? There is no doubt that having your newborn session earlier increases the chance of it being an easier event for all concerned. At such an early age, babies are generally more sleepy and therefore easier to pose.  Later on, as they settle more into their new world, they begin to stretch out, become more alert, want to feed more and are less inclined to sleep.

So what if you've missed that magical newborn photography window?

Don't worry!

Please remember that, even without the current lockdown, life doesn’t always go to plan! I have photographed hundreds of babies older than two weeks of age and want to assure you that the two week rule is not set in stone.  There will always be times when parents may miss out on an early newborn shoot. For example, if baby or mum has a longer than planned hospital stay or if new parents are perhaps just so overwhelmed in those first weeks that they simply cannot face a photo shoot. No matter why they may have missed out on an early newborn photo shoot, there is no reason why they can't still have some beautiful photos of their older baby. 

Thanks to Covid 19 my own clients who have missed their newborn session with me will be coming back when their babies are older.  I can't wait to meet them but in the meantime, and whilst we are all stuck indoors, I have published a blog giving new parents tips on how to carry out a safe DIY newborn photo-shoot at home. With technology as it is today and the quality of photographs that can be taken with a simple phone camera, I have no doubt that those precious early memories will still be made, even if a professional photographer can’t make them for you.

So - your baby may have grown out of the tiny newborn phase by the time we photographers are safely allowed back to work, but you still want cute baby photos, what do you do?  Just contact your chosen photographer and book your session in, no matter how old baby is.  You will be very glad you did.

Let me introduce you to the wonderful world of older baby portraiture.  

I absolutely adore every single part of my job, but I must admit that photographing older babies, particularly when they have started to interact and smile, is a total joy.

This little man, a long-standing client, claimed a piece of my heart with this early smile!

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I photograph newborns in a very similar pose to this.  As you can see, this little lady loved being cuddled up in my fur throw!

An older baby may not be as sleepy and curly as a newborn, but please believe me, when you look back on your photographs in years to come, you will still marvel at how small they looked, especially when held in dad or mum' arms.

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I love a good daddy and baby photo and this is a favourite of mine. No matter how big they grow - they will always be your baby.
8 bw8 bw I have always loved this image of a lovely dad with his baby daughter.
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I bet the above mum and dad look back on this photo and marvel at how much their little one has grown. After all, he will be at least nine years old now!


Sometimes, an older baby will fall asleep during one of my sessions, allowing me to gently pose them in a similar way to how I would a newborn.

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Despite being much older than my regular 'newborn', this chilled out little man was so relaxed, we managed to get some great newborn style poses for mum and dad!

One advantage an older baby has over a newborn is that of course they can support themselves better. Even if they are not yet sitting unaided, I can still get some fabulous images due to their stronger head control, as demonstrated by the gorgeous young man above.

Non-sitters can still be photographed ‘sitting’. I just use Photoshop to remove mum or dad’s supportive hands from the image. If you were looking forward to photos of your baby in newborn props such as baskets don't worry, they can still be used.  They may just need to be a little bigger to make room for your older baby.
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As pretty as can be - and supported at all times by daddy while she sat there for me.
_DSC6776_DSC6776 How gorgeous is this little lady? Wide awake and photographed in one of my larger baskets, mum got the photo she wanted with the added bonus of a beautiful smile.

If baby has grown too big to lie in a basket, I just use plenty of supportive padding and we have them sitting in it instead.  I also use stools and chairs for older babies, making sure that a parent is always providing support where necessary.
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This beautiful baby boy just loved the camera!

One of my all time favourite images.  A gorgeous little baby, carefully supported, sitting in my vintage ceramic wash bowl.

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Peaches and Cream - and perfectly safely supported by daddy at all times.


If baby is sitting unaided, I have the freedom to create some truly magical imagery.  I love having baby interact with a parent, sibling, favourite toy or family pet! 

Someone loves their teddy!  Another favourite image of mine.

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Safety first! This was actually a composite image, but the little lady above only had eyes for her four legged friend.


What about those little newborn details you wanted captured in your newborn session? The little fingers, toes and eyelashes?  Well, they've not gone anywhere! In fact, your older baby can help draw attention right to those little features all by themselves!
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Look at my toes mummy!  Aren't I a clever girl?

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How can anyone miss the eyelashes on this little beauty?

The aim of this blog is to try and reassure you that, even if you have missed out on a professional newborn portrait session in the early days, it is still very much worth your while to book a professional photographer who will create some wonderful images for you. 

As I have said before, every stage of a child's life is magical.  Each age brings with it something new, but always wonderful and I encourage you to take as many photographs and videos as you can to ensure you have plenty of lovely memories to look back on.

Thanks for reading.

Stay safe!

Lorraine @ Ellie J Photography xx


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