The sooner you take photos, the better! The best timeframe is within the first 7-10 days. You won’t believe how much a baby changes in just a month and having these newborn moments and details will be worth the time and effort!

First, you’ll want to get all of the small tiny details that come with a newborn. To do this, get closeups of the face, ears, nose, mouth, cheeks, as well as, baby’s hands, back and feet.

Second, be sure to focus on the everyday moments. Though they seem tedious and mundane now, you’ll love being able to look back at those feedings and diaper changes when they are behind you.

Lastly, be patient and allow 1-2 hours for a session to allow for any feedings that might need to be done to get baby comfortable, quiet, and/or sleeping.

Read more: 5 Tips that Changed My Newborn Photography

BONUS: do you have any family heirloom clothing pieces or hand me downs? I like to use family items whenever possible. Whether it’s a bonnet, outfit, or even a vintage crib! This is a great time to honor your family history.

Read more: Lifestyle Newborn Photography Tips: 5 Photos To Take Without Moving Baby

At this time, baby is sitting up, laughing, smiling, and showing lots of other emotions and personality traits! Focus on exactly those! You may need to wait a little past six months, but it’s ideal to get photos when baby can sit up on their own.

This is also a great time to add in some props to make it fun for baby and to get emotions from those interactions. Try giving them their favorite toy, animal, blanket, or other fun items for them to play with. Capturing their expressions as they discover these new or favorite items will bring out so much in your baby!

And don’t be afraid to make some funny faces or sing their favorite song!

BONUS: depending on the location, recreating shots from when they were a newborn is also a favorite of mine! This will show their growth and change in a fun and unique way.

Read more: 10 Tips for Photographing Your Baby

Yay! Your baby is one years old. At this point, baby is crawling, standing, and possibly walking! He/she is showing lots of personality (and teeth!) and you’ll want to capture this big milestone!

I like to do something fun and celebratory. It all depends on your taste, but some ideas are: balloons, a smash cake, or a favorite family spot (ie park, family spot, etc.). I suggest having baby’s favorite stuffed animal or toy on hand. Something that is familiar and comforting that can help baby if they ever feel uncomfortable.

Singing songs, playing peek-a-boo, or playing a game will get you great reactions for photos.

BONUS: repeat the bonuses from the first two sessions! Do you have any family heirloom pieces to incorporate to the session or recreate a shot from the newborn session or maybe add the family dog!

What does your baby like to do? Do y’all have a favorite family spot? The park? Any pets who can join in? This is where you can get fun and creative!

Read more: 8 Must Have Birthday Party Images to Capture

After your baby’s first birthday, feel free to continue milestone sessions at six month intervals until baby turns 3. Recreate photos from sessions before and, again, get creative! And change your angles.

With the newborn session, I’m constantly changing my angles and this is just as important when baby is up and walking around on their own.

Read more: Toddler Photography-8 Ideas to Capture those Early Years

Another thing to remember, oftentimes, another baby might come along during this period, in that case, you can start the whole beautiful and amazing journey all over again!

To do so, just repeat the steps above and add sibling shots to each one. And don’t forget to single out the older sibling and make them feel special! You’ll want solo shots of them along the way too!

Read more: 5 Tips for Capturing Authentic Sibling Relationships