Baby Pictures: What Should I Bring to the Photo Session?

Whether you’re capturing your sweet angel in a beautiful newborn photography session or you want milestone photos of your fast-growing infant, little ones are some of the cutest photo subjects. As the session date nears, you probably feel as much nervousness as excitement. Babies can be unpredictable, but there are a few things you can bring with you to your session to help make the experience smooth for everyone.

Food

You’ll definitely want to feed your baby before the session. Full tummies make for happy infants and peacefully sleeping newborns. However, if unexpected hunger pangs strike, you don’t want your cheery photo session to turn dreary. Bring formula, milk or, if you breast feed, what you need to tend to your baby comfortably. A quick 5-minute snack can get a photo session back on track if necessary.

Favorite Blankets and Props

JCPenney Portraits has plenty of amazing blankets, baskets, props and more to reflect the top trends of modern newborn and infant photography. That being said, if you have a favorite blanket or special prop you’d like included in some images, bring it too! Personalizing baby pictures with a special stuffed animal, a family memento or even Dad’s baseball glove can help create a memorable one-of-a-kind portrait.

Clothing

When it comes to babies, there’s no need to overthink wardrobes. For newborns, some of the best images are simply of them in a diaper wrapped in a soft blanket. You may want to add accessories like baby headbands for little girls, but remember your infant is the star, so no need to overwhelm with an ultra-fancy outfit. One tip to keep in mind if you want these types of images is to loosen clothing about 30 minutes before the shoot so you don’t have any red marks on baby’s skin from clothing indentations. Dressing baby in loose jammies for travel can help.

Dad

Yes, you read that correct: Bring Dad. The majority of infant photo sessions are scheduled by mothers, but that doesn’t mean Dad should sit this one out. If he isn’t available, an extra set of hands from a friend or family member can be a tremendous help. Sometimes infants will simply respond differently to one parent over another, so switching things up mid-session can be beneficial. What’s more, if you have other kids, the other parent can occupy them (when they’re not also in front of the lens) so you can try to keep a calm, quiet environment for baby.

Patience and Positivity

It’s easy to put a lot of pressure on infant photo sessions. You want things to turn out great, but get stressed thinking about all of the unknowns. Two of the most important things you can bring to any baby photo session are your patience and your positivity. Children sense the emotions of their parents, even if you think you’re doing a good job of covering up your nerves. So take a deep breath, relax, think happy thoughts and let the JCPenney Portrait expert photographers do what they do best: Capture cherished moments in high-quality photography.

If you haven’t already, schedule a baby photo session today and get ready to enjoy images you’ll hold dear for a lifetime.

Share this article: