From Gummy Grins to Toothless Smiles: Baby Headshots at Every Stage

The first year of your baby’s life is filled with milestones that seem to happen in the blink of an eye. From their first smile to their first steps, each stage is special and fleeting. One of the best ways to capture these precious moments is through professional baby headshots. These portraits focus on your baby’s face, helping you preserve the emotions, expressions, and tiny details that change so quickly.

In this post, we’ll explore why baby headshots are essential at every stage of their first year. From those adorable gummy grins to their big, toothless smiles!

This post is part of our Baby Milestone Photography series, designed to help you beautifully capture every special stage of your baby’s first year. Don’t miss the other parts of the series for even more inspiration: Milestone Poses Through the First Year Master Post, Parent & Baby Milestone Photos, Milestone Photos with Props, and Unique Photos for Each Milestone. Each post is packed with ideas to make your milestone sessions truly memorable.

1. Newborn Stage: Capturing Pure Innocence

The newborn phase is full of sleepy, soft moments. Baby headshots at this stage showcase the pure innocence of your little one. These portraits often feature your baby’s delicate features including their soft skin, tiny nose, and sleepy eyes. This is all to preserve the magic of their very first days in the world.

Why it’s special: At this stage, your baby is still adjusting to the world outside the womb. Their face expresses a peaceful, almost angelic calm. But don’t worry, even if your little one is wide awake during the session, we can still capture a beautiful, natural headshot you’ll love. These early headshots are perfect for keepsakes and gifts for family, as they perfectly encapsulate the first few days of their life.

Photographer’s Secret: There are some specific poses (many featured above) that lend themselves better to capturing the perfect headshot.

2. 3-4 Months: First Smiles and Expressive Eyes

By 3 months, your baby is starting to develop stronger muscles and control over their facial expressions. You’ll begin to see the first signs of smiles, and their eyes become more engaged with the world around them. Baby headshots during this stage capture those sweet, genuine moments of joy that you’ll treasure forever.

Why it’s special: This is the age when babies start recognizing familiar faces and responding with coos and smiles. Their eyes sparkle with curiosity and wonder, making for incredibly engaging and adorable portraits. At this age, your baby’s unique personality really starts to shine. It’s such a joy to capture those little expressions in portraits.

Photographer’s Secret: This age in particular will often smile back at me when I sing softly and give them a big huge grin myself!

3. 6-9 Months: Full of Personality and Giggles

Between 6 and 9 months, your baby is going through one of the most heart melting transformations. At around 6 months, your baby is likely holding their head up steadily and may even be sitting with some support. You can see their unique personality beginning to shine through. These headshots capture their growing awareness and emotional connection to the world, whether it’s a sweet smile, a wide eyed stare, or a curious expression. By 9 months, they’re probably sitting confidently, scooting, or even crawling, with their face lighting up in wonder as they explore. You might even notice the first baby teeth emerging, adding even more cuteness to their already irresistible smile. This stage is a beautiful blend of growing independence and the lingering softness of babyhood.

Why it’s special:
From chubby cheeks and gummy grins to curious eyes and tiny teeth, the 6–9 month window is full of everyday wonders. Their expressions are honest and full of personality, and every photo tells a piece of their developing story. It’s a time of rapid change, and capturing these fleeting moments creates portraits that will always bring you back to this incredibly sweet chapter.

Photographer’s Secret: Most babies at this age (but not all!) are not yet in the “stranger danger” phase. I sometimes get the best reactions playing peekaboo.

5. 12 Months: Big Smiles and the First Year Completed

The 12-month mark is a huge milestone. Your baby may be standing, cruising along furniture, or even taking their first steps. Baby headshots at this stage showcase their bright, toothless smiles often with a big, proud grin as they achieve more and more independence. They’re growing so fast, and these portraits perfectly capture their joy and accomplishment.

We try to celebrate this milestone with all the fun that goes along with it. Cake smashes, and some clients choose balloons galore. And while those moments are absolutely worth capturing, it’s also meaningful to pause and reflect on everything your little one has accomplished in their first year. From tiny milestones to big leaps, this stage is filled with growth, change, and personality. Taking a moment to simply focus on their sweet smile, expressive eyes, and that perfect little face is just as important. These are the details you’ll want to remember forever.

Why it’s special: The 12-month-old headshot marks the end of the first year and the beginning of toddlerhood. This is a great time to reflect on how much they’ve changed over the year, from their first few days to the bright, independent little person they’re becoming.

Photographer’s Secret: Not every one-year-old is all smiles, and that’s beautiful. Their thoughtful, curious expressions are just as powerful (and often more memorable). Some of my favorite headshot portraits do not feature a giant smile.

The Importance of Baby Headshots Throughout the Year

Baby headshots are a wonderful way to preserve the fleeting moments of growth and change. These portraits are not just about capturing a cute face, they’re about documenting the journey of your baby’s development. Over the course of the first year, you’ll see a transformation from a tiny newborn to a curious and joyful toddler.

Why you should capture your baby’s headshots at every stage:

• Keepsakes: These portraits become treasured keepsakes that will be cherished for years to come. Imagine looking back at them when your child is older and seeing how much they’ve changed!
  
• Gifts for Family: Baby headshots make for great gifts for grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other loved ones. They’ll treasure these portraits as much as you do.
  
• Memories You’ll Never Forget: Babies grow quickly, and it’s easy to forget the tiny details—like their little smile or the way their eyes sparkled. A headshot freezes that moment forever.
  

Final Thoughts: Capturing the Magic

Every milestone of your baby’s first year is worth celebrating, and baby headshots are an ideal way to commemorate these precious moments. Whether it’s their first smile, first tooth, or their toothless grin at 12 months, each headshot tells a unique story of your baby’s growth. Don’t let these moments slip by, book a professional session to capture your baby’s first year in focus. These portraits will be some of your most cherished memories, and you’ll look back at them with love for years to come.

At Crabapple Photography we strive to make every milestone session as important as the last. We are located in Andover MA and serve clients from around the area including Reading, Wakefield, Winchester, Stoneham and beyond. Kate McKenna has been photographing babies of all ages since 2009. Contact Kate today to learn more.