A photography buzzword if there ever was one - the "milestone session"! This means so many different things to different people so I thought I'd help de-mistify this for you...to see if a milestone session is right for you.
First, if you missed a newborn session, a milestone session is a great way to capture your child as they grow in their first year. Milestone sessions can be many things but typically you'll see them around 4 months for "tummy time" and then 6-8 months for "sitter sessions". Really, it captures the first month or two that a young child can sit up on their own.
As a luxury newborn photographer on Long Island, my newborn sessions ALWAYS include one milestone session. Most families choose to schedule this at the 6-8 month age and capture their child sitting. I personally love to capture them with the same prop we used for their newborn session. It's a great way to show just how they've grown!!
If you've had a child of your own then you know children at this age have a very short attention span. I always tell parents that these sessions are very high energy - mostly mine and their energies! Children's naps are so intermittent through the day that these are highly scheduled around naptime.
Depending on your child, we can have one or two outfit changes. I have had some clients who can change their babies 2 times without any fuss. But, most clients bring their baby in one outfit and then we choose one from my client closet. Layers also work well as a button-down shirt can be removed to show a short sleeve t-shirt and change the look without having to disrupt your child too much.
They are also usually very attached to their parents. Being in a new place and with me - a high energy, high-pitched stranger can put any easy going baby at ease. It's one of the reasons that we always start the session with me sitting far from the baby with a parent sitting close by. In a few minutes they see that while I may be a stranger, I'm not going to upset them and we can get lots of great personality photos of them.
It's also one of my favorite times because letting them roam around the studio and explore usually produces so many great giggles and smiles...
To help you decide if a milestone session is for you, please reach out to me directly and review these Frequently Asked Questions below!
When is the best time to schedule a milestone session?
For a tummy time session, I always recommend booking at 3 months for a 4 month session. You know your child best and a child should enjoy the tummy time they have at home prior to bringing them to the studio.
For a sitter session, I always say that when it looks like your baby is sitting up on their own without much assistance you should reach out and book your session. Especially if you're interested in doing a cake smash, getting your child photographed at 8 months allows you to really document their growth over their first year!
How long does a milestone session last?
You will know your child best but I can tell you that 45 minutes is typically the perfect session time. That allows us to get 2-3 set-ups in as well as 1-2 outfits. We move FAST. All my set-ups are already put together and we move your baby from one to the next.
Most of the time you can tell when a baby is over a set-up and/or is over the entire session.
What time should I book a milestone session for?
Milestone sessions are highly personalized and scheduled just for your baby.
Nap time is different for each child. As a result we collaborate on the right time for your session.
Not only that, I check in one week before the session to ensure nothing about nap times have changed since we spoke last.
I try to have you in studio no later than 30 minutes after baby normally wakes up.
What kind of outfits work well for a sitter session?
Most sitter sessions feature every day outfits. Cake smash outfits usually feature babies without sleeves and usually shorts so you can see every little finger and toe getting into the cake.
For sitter sessions you want something different. I love matching newborn colors with sitter outfits. For example, if you had a pink newborn outfit then picking one of my pink sitter outfits would be perfect! Almost every newborn outfit I have has a similar or exactly matching sitter outfit.
What types of props do you use for a sitter session?
Just like outfits, I love using the same props between newborn and sitter sessions. It is just another way to show how much your baby has grown!
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