First, let me state the obvious that there is absolutely NO bad time to have portraits of your child. However, there are some prime times to get your cuties in front of the camera.
There is something special about a classic portrait of your child that celebrates them as a unique individual and makes them feel important by displaying their portrait in your home.
So, when should you have portraits done? Here are the best ages for child portraits.
BABIES
There are 3 baby stages in that first year that are important to capture. If you can't do them all at least do one.
Newborn (within the first 2 weeks)
6-9 months (when they can sit up on their own)
1 year (Cake smash, anyone?)
PRESCHOOL | 2-5 years
They’ve passed the baby stage and their personality is really shining through. And (hopefully) they don’t yet have much of an opinion about what you dress them or how you do their hair. It's also the last chance you'll have to capture their smile before they lose their baby teeth.
ELEMENTARY | 6-12 years
They seem so big now compared to their preschool days, but once they are in high school it will seem like they were so little. They have become their own little person in elementary school, but yet they are still figuring so many things out. Sessions at this stage become even more about them as unique individuals as they have more of an opinion in how they look and what poses we do.
TEENAGERS
Don't stop now! Even though their attitudes might not always be quite as cute as when they were little, their growth, independence, and evolving personality are beautiful to capture. Being consistent with their portraits through the years has a lasting effect on their self-worth and sense of belonging.
SENIOR YEAR
You will want to document that last year before they take the leap - because you might not even remember it with how crazy senior year can be for students AND parents. Senior portraits celebrate how far they have come, what they have accomplished, (all you have accomplished as a parent) and what is yet to come. It freezes them in time as they are before they enter the world of adulthood.
Not only will you cherish professional portraits of your senior to display on your wall or in a custom album, but they will also come in handy for the school yearbook and graduation announcements.
I really want to tell you to capture your child every single year. But of course that’s easy for me to say as a photographer. If that’s not in the budget for you, at least try to get portraits of them at the prime times. And for the love, get those images off your computer and on your walls. Let them see how special they are to you.
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