6 Week Old Baby Portraits by Andover Area Photographer
When the studio shutdown for a couple of months due to the pandemic, I suddenly had a slew of 6 week-old babies in the studio when I reopened. It’s such a great age! It’s easy to look at a 6 week old baby and think they must be the same as a “newborn,” they’re only 6 weeks old, after all! The weeks might seem to fly by in a blur of sleepless nights, feedings and diaper changes, but there is a lot happening in your little one’s life and development.
These changes are amazing to witness as a parent. But they do mean some differences between typical newborn portrait photography and 6 week old baby portraits. So I thought it would be a good topic to write about. As an Andover area photographer, I have had the privilege to photograph babies of all ages. The good news is, there truly is no wrong time to take baby portraits! Just check out this post of baby from the 6 week age group.
The Differences Between Newborn Portraits and 6 Week Portraits
The main difference between newborn and six week portraits is the level of alertness. Newborn portraits are typically taken between 6-21 days. At this point, your new baby is still mostly blissfully unaware of their surroundings. They might fuss or wake up (and every baby is different), but for the most part they are able to stay in a deep asleep at this age. I keep my studio warm, dark, and have my secret weapon the baby shusher white noise machine going. The session might stop for milk or diaper breaks periodically, but for the most part, we are able to go the full two hours with limited interruptions.
At six weeks, chances are your baby won’t stay sound asleep while they’re being posed. This makes some of the naked, curled up and sleeping typical “newborn poses” not possible for safety reasons. But have no fear! We can still style the session similarly to a “newborn” session. Most babies are comfortable being swaddled at six weeks old, which means I am still able to get those adorable swaddled posed baby photos.
One thing that definitely is possible is getting close up shots of all those sweet little details of your baby. Whether that means their tiny little hands, their adorable toes, or their perfect nose.
The Best Part of Photographing a 6 Week Old Baby
By far the coolest thing about photographing this age group is in fact, their alertness. They look right into the camera, they sometimes coo back at me and often, they will SMILE a real smile!
Using Props in Six Week Portraits
At six weeks old, we are able to take advantage of props. I have an abundance of them (prop-a-holic over here!) available in my studio to use during 6 week old baby photos. Whether you love the idea of your little one nestled inside of a floral wreath, in a basket, or on a tiny baby-sized bed, I have you covered.
If you prefer the look of portraits without the props, there are still plenty of options. Whether your baby tolerates being swaddled, or if they prefer to have arms and legs free, I can pose them on a fur or a knit blanket for their portraits.
The fun doesn’t stop at props either. I have a huge selection of wraps, blankets, headbands, and hats as well. If you want to get some adorable infant accessories, I always recommend Etsy as the perfect place to start.
Are you looking for 6 week old baby portraits near Andover MA? Crabapple Photography is conveniently located right off of I-93 and serves clients from around the Merrimack Valley and North Shore areas including Methuen, Tewksbury, Reading, Stoneham, Medford and more. Kate McKenna has been photographing babies of all ages since 2009. Contact Kate today to book your session.
