Your baby’s first birthday is coming up, and somewhere between planning the party, ordering decorations, and wondering how an entire year went by so quickly, you realize you need to schedule their First Birthday portraits.

But when is the best time to do that?

Ideally, I recommend contacting us to book your baby’s First Birthday portraits about a month before you’d like to have the session. That gives us plenty of time to plan the experience together.

But when should the actual photographs be taken?

If you’d like to have portraits ready to display at their birthday party, I recommend scheduling the session at least two weeks before the celebration. If you’re simply looking for a fun way to celebrate your baby’s first birthday, we can photograph during their birthday week or even afterward!

After nearly 20 years of photographing little ones at Cloud 9 Studios in Wesley Chapel, Florida, I’ve learned that choosing the right time for First Birthday portraits has a lot less to do with the date on the calendar and a lot more to do with your baby and how your family wants to celebrate.

Start With One Simple Question: Do You Want the Portraits for the Birthday Party?

When a mom calls our studio asking when she should schedule her baby’s First Birthday session, this is usually the first thing I ask her.

“Do you want the portraits in time for their birthday or a party?”

Because that changes my recommendation.

If you’re hoping to display photographs at the birthday party or share your favorite images on social media for their big day, I recommend scheduling your session at least two weeks beforehand.

At Cloud 9, we can typically have your finished prints and digital images ready within two weeks. Albums and wall art take a little longer, so if you have your heart set on displaying a beautiful canvas at the party, we’ll want to plan further ahead.

And here’s one little piece of advice from me: If you’re thinking about having your baby’s portrait album out for everyone to enjoy at the party, I might suggest saving that beautiful storybook for after the celebration.

Little fingers covered in birthday cake and beautiful album pages aren’t always the best combination! LOL.

Instead, consider putting together a slideshow of your baby’s portraits and playing it on a big television during the party. Everyone gets to enjoy the photographs, and your album stays safe from the frosting.

Why I Love Hearing From Parents a Month Before Their Session

A month gives us a comfortable amount of time to plan without anyone feeling rushed.

It gives Mom time to order those adorable birthday outfits she’s had her eye on, coordinate clothing for the rest of the family, and decide which colors she’d love to incorporate into the portraits.

And if figuring out what everyone should wear feels like a project all by itself, I’ve put together some advice on what to wear for your family portraits to help make that decision a little easier.

Some parents even spend a little time letting their babies practice eating with their hands so the cake smash isn’t their very first experience getting messy!

And let’s not forget the family calendar.

Between work schedules, naps, birthday preparations, and everything else that goes into life with a one-year-old, having a little breathing room makes the experience more enjoyable.

Does this mean you have to book a month ahead?

Absolutely not. It’s simply what I consider a comfortable planning window.

Should You Photograph Before or After Their Actual First Birthday?

This is one of those questions where I really don’t believe there’s a single right answer.

Some parents love the idea of photographing their baby during their actual birthday week. It’s another special way to celebrate the milestone, and I think that’s wonderful.

Other parents want everything photographed and ready before the birthday arrives.

And some families are so busy planning the party that they don’t get around to scheduling portraits until afterward.

All of those are perfectly fine!

There’s nothing magical that happens to a baby at exactly 365 days old that suddenly changes how we photograph them.

What matters more to me is capturing who your child is at this stage of life.

That little smile. The way they clap their hands when they’re excited. The expression they make when something surprises them.

Those are the things you’re going to want to remember.

And whether we photograph those moments a few weeks before their birthday or a few weeks afterward isn’t nearly as important as making sure we capture them.

Is There a Perfect Developmental Stage for First Birthday Portraits?

Okay, now you’re asking a photographer who has spent a LOT of time chasing one-year-olds around a studio. LOL.

If I could pick a photographic sweet spot, it would probably be when a baby can stand while holding onto something but hasn’t quite figured out how to walk away yet.

At that stage, we can often spend a little more time interacting with them instead of chasing them across the set.

But please don’t read that and think your baby needs to be standing for beautiful portraits!

They absolutely do not.

Much of a First Birthday session happens while your baby is sitting, playing, interacting with us, or being held by Mom and Dad. If they can stand while holding onto a bench or chair, wonderful! If not, it doesn’t change our ability to create beautiful photographs.

And if your baby is already walking?

Well, we’re probably going to get our exercise that day!

When babies become confident walkers, they discover that they have places to go and things to explore.

We adapt.

We might spend a little extra time creating family portraits while your baby is happily in your arms. We might photograph them holding your hands or introduce stacking blocks, balloons, books, and bubbles to keep their attention.

Sometimes, when a walking baby first sits down with a block, I know that might be our one opportunity for that particular photograph.

You learn to recognize those moments pretty quickly!

I’ve also photographed children at 14 or 15 months old for their First Birthday celebration. At that age, they’re often much more mobile, and the cake itself may not be quite as fascinating as it would have been a few months earlier.

We can still create wonderful portraits and a meaningful experience for the family. I just tell the parents to wear comfortable shoes because they might get their cardio in for the day!

The One Thing I Care About More Than the Birthday Date: Nap Time!

If there’s one scheduling detail I always want to know, it’s when your baby takes their nap.

We do not schedule First Birthday sessions during nap time.

I’m a photographer, not a miracle worker! LOL.

A tired baby is a tired baby.

We can bring out bubbles, stack blocks, sing songs, and introduce all sorts of fun things. But when a little one is ready to sleep, there aren’t many tricks that will convince them otherwise.

I always joke that even Disney, the happiest place on earth, isn’t quite so happy at three o’clock in the afternoon when everyone is exhausted!

That’s why I would much rather photograph your baby at a time of day when they’re naturally happy, rested, and ready to explore than worry about scheduling on one particular date.

Your baby’s normal routine matters.

And even when we’ve planned around naps and done everything we can to set your baby up for a wonderful experience, little ones can still have their moments! If that’s something you’re worried about, I wrote another article about what happens if your baby cries during their First Birthday session.

What If You’ve Waited Until the Last Minute?

First, give us a call!

We’ve had plenty of parents realize that the birthday is coming up faster than they expected.

When that happens, we’ll always do our best to find an opening. Sometimes that means being flexible and choosing a weekday session.

And if their birthday has already passed?

We can still celebrate!

Now, I’ll be the first to tell you that a baby who’s 14 or 15 months old can be a little more adventurous to photograph than one who’s just learning to stand. But that doesn’t mean you’ve missed the opportunity.

It simply means we plan the experience around the little person they are today.

And really, that’s what we do with every First Birthday session.

So, When Should You Schedule?

If you love having a plan, here’s my advice:

• Contact us about a month before you’d like your session. This gives us time to plan outfits, colors, and the experience.
• Schedule the portraits at least two weeks before the party if you’d like finished prints or digital images ready for the celebration.
• Photograph during their birthday week or afterward if you don’t need the portraits for the party.

But there’s one more thing I want you to know.

If you’re reading this while your baby is asleep, thinking about how quickly this first year has gone by, and wondering if you’ve waited too long to plan something special, I want you to consider something.

The fact that you’re thinking about it now makes this a wonderful time to start.

It means you’re beginning to think about how you want to celebrate this milestone. What you want to remember. And how you want your child to look back someday and see just how loved they were.

That’s where I love to begin.

Not with a date on the calendar, but with a conversation about your baby.

What are they like right now? What makes them laugh? What little things do they do that you wish you could bottle up and keep forever?

Because those are the things I want to help you hold onto.

If you’re planning your baby’s first birthday, I’d love to hear about them and help you figure out the best time for their portraits.

You can explore our First Birthday portrait experience at Cloud 9 Studios and schedule a conversation with us when you’re ready.

Jeanine McLeod
Owner & Chief Magic Maker, Cloud 9 Studios
Wesley Chapel, Florida