Getting Ready for your 3 Month Baby Photographs

The most important step to planning the 3 Month session is when your baby had excellent head control! The best portraits come when a baby is able to hold up his or her head and smile. Some babies reach this stage closer to four months, and I always recommend waiting until the milestone has been achieved. 

In our experience, babies with good head control will smile more readily when they are stronger, instead of exhibiting signs of exhaustion to simply to lift their little head. 

3 Month Baby sessions take place on weekdays and select Saturday mornings in my studio in Lynn, MA. Mornings are always best. Here, I have all the props, lighting, supplies and resources necessary to capture amazing portraits for you. In addition, I’ve got plenty of extra wipes and diapers on hand. I set aside as 90 minutes for the 3 month session, but often we can be done in under an hour! 

I have recently relocated to a lovely studio in Lynn, MA, easily found along Route 107, just south of the Salem line. Be sure to see the directions page for how to find me.

3 Month babies often have a short window of energy, so I work quickly. I set aside 90 minutes, but usually, the session is completed in under an hour. If you have been to the studio for a newborn session, this milestone will go by so much faster. 

For the most part, a 3 Month bare-chested baby is the best. We'll want to see the chubby arms, double chins, and all that delicious baby skin! At this age, most babies get swallowed up in clothes anyway. If you choose, bring one or two simple outfits and we will do our best to capture the baby clothed as well. Recommended fabrics are simple, solids or small print, avoiding big designs or logos. Classic and timeless are best. 

If you have a special handmade receiving blanket, that would be great to bring with you to add to the portraits of your baby. Or you may bring a special stuffed plush toy that you would like to incorporate into a portrait. Simple is best. Bring a binkie or pacifier (if the baby uses one), extra diapers, extra supplies for feedings (if you are not breast feeding). You can pack a snack for yourself, or pick up a a bite to eat down the hall at the Uncommon Feasts cafe (if you’ve forgotten to eat before you come!).

Yes, of course. Making the session more personal with your own items is always welcome. For this stage, the best kind of items are handmade receiving blankets, special stuffed animal toys, or perhaps a hat or headband. 

We all know that there are an infinite number of baby ideas or props on Pinterest and Etsy, but not all items are made for babies 3 months old. Be selective if you choose to bring any special props. The best items are hats, blankets and stuffed animals. At the 3 month stage, we mostly photograph the baby's head, face, torso, and bare feet, so shoes or socks are completely unnecessary. Besides, we find that most clients honestly prefer the portraits that show off the baby more than the costumes or hats! 

One of the best ideas is to choose a special stuffed plush toy that can be used in portraits over time, to illustrate the rapid growth of your baby in his or her first year. The best example is this little girl, who completed the full baby plan year and each visit, the parents brought with them this tiny stuffed animal penguin named Pudge. Read the story of this little girl and her toy Pudge on my blog.

At the studio, I keep on hand a selection of simple baskets, buckets, wraps, headbands, bow ties, tutus, textured floor mats, and soft snuggly clean plush toys. 

We welcome you and your loved ones and any caretakers assisting you to attend the portrait session. While we focus most of the attention on the baby, a parent is welcome to jump in for a few portraits, if you choose. It's completely optional, and most parents at this stage are not feeling camera-ready and are happy to have us capture the little one alone, and do a family portrait later in the year. If there is an older sibling and you are enrolled in the baby plan, we honestly prefer to wait until the 6 month or 12 month milestone. You'll get better results! 

While we focus most of the attention on the baby, a parent is welcome to jump in for a few portraits, if you choose. It's completely optional, and most parents at this stage are not feeling camera-ready and are happy to have us capture the little one alone, and do a family portrait later in the year! 

For the portraits of parents with a 3 Month baby, I have found that wearing simple solid colors in lighter tones is best. Soft colors work well, as you will want the baby to be the attention, rather than a vibrantly-colored top. I most enjoy capturing 3 Month babies close up, with a parent cheek to cheek, or in their arms. 

We welcome you and your loved ones and any caretakers assisting you to attend the portrait session. The 3 Month session will mostly focus on the baby. If there is an older sibling and you are enrolled in the baby plan, we honestly prefer to wait until the 6 month or 12 month milestone. You'll get better results! However, if an older sibling does come, it is best to dress them in soft colors… pastels, creams, light blues, etc. Or even just bare skin like their baby brother or sister. 

Approximately one week following your session, we invite you into the studio to review all of your images, assist you in making your selections and to place your order. We recommend that all of the decision makers are present at the time of the ordering appointment. I’m happy to accommodate you in the early evening for these appointments as well.

While I may photograph dozens of captures in a given session, however not all are keepers. I’ll capture as many images as necessary in order to present you with a strong body of images. Typically, I’ll present you with the best 25-35 images in order to simplify your selection process.

A baby portrait session in the studio is $200. However, most clients take advantage of the Baby Plan special ($200), and enroll in the year long plan to get three sessions for the price of one, including the milestones of 6 Months & 12 Months. Included in your initial investment is Bobbie’s time and talent during the session and a personalized follow up consultation to assist you in making your portrait order selections. The session does not include portraits.  

It’s entirely up to you how much you decide to invest in from your session, choosing from our gift portraits, framed wall art pieces, canvas wraps or custom hardcover books & albums. We offer personal, gift & desk sized portraits which range from $65 to $195. Our signature hand-finished wall art pieces range from $325 all the way up to life-size. In general, most clients spend in the range of $900-1500 or more per session. Most clients enrolled in the Baby Plan choose from our packages that span all three sessions, which start at $1995. 

We understand that personal emergencies, illness or inclement weather sometimes require sessions to be rescheduled. We kindly ask that you provide as much notice as possible in order to make the time available to other clients.

Generally speaking, we prefer that you refrain from any picture-taking during your session…. after all, we take the time and care to set everything up for that perfect portrait using our special props and years of experience! However, that being said, we understand that social media is a big part of our lives and if an opportunity were to arise where you were able to capture a fun behind-the-scenes shot, we are all for that. And if you do, we’d LOVE it if you tagged us in the post!

No worries — we see this all the time. Every portrait you select as part of your order will be individually enhanced for lovely skin tones. We will smooth and soften blemishes or boo-boos or dry skin, so not to worry!

Of course! In fact, we encourage you to come visit the studio in advance of your session, to preplan your session and to get to know us. This is such an exciting time for you and we invite you to see our work and discuss your wishes for a successful baby portraits. We recommend that you schedule a specific date and time with us so that we are able to give you our fullest attention.

We’ve created a simple booklet to assist with a checklist of what to bring and sample images of what to expect. Be sure to download our 3 Month Getting Ready Guide.