Capturing your baby’s first year is an absolute must. Their tiny feet, little hands, and sweet little faces change so quickly!
The first days as new parents can be overwhelming and exhausting. Doing your own DIY baby photoshoot is a fun way to capture your little baby! Once you get the hang of taking your own photos and best pose ideas, your monthly photoshoot will be a breeze.
There are so many baby picture ideas and great options for capturing this phase of life. Whether you plan to post on social media or frame them for your home, taking monthly pictures is essential for capturing your baby girl or boy’s sweetness.
Not everyone can afford a professional photographer for each milestone – while we all wish we had hundreds or thousands of dollars for a professional photo shoot, it’s just not always feasible. So if you’re like me and have to capture those monthly photos at home, here are some 1 month photoshoot ideas at home through baby’s first year.
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13 Adorable Baby Photoshoot Ideas At Home
Use the same cute prop each month
One fun idea is to place a cute teddy bear or stuffed animal next to your baby for their monthly pictures. This is a cute way to document baby’s growth as you can compare the size of your baby to the teddy bear each month.
As they grow, that stuffed animal may be a favorite of theirs. Including one in the baby shoot is a fun way to measure your baby month to month.
Get a cute backdrop
Something as simple as a colored or white sheet or some towels can create a neutral and fresh backdrop for photos during baby’s first year.
A good thing to keep in mind is that simple photographs better. A plain white, pink, or blue sheet looks better than a patterned one. You can build texture with props, outfits, or a cozy blanket for baby to snuggle up on.
Use a milestone blanket
There are so many options for cute milestone blankets! You can get baby boy or baby girl photoshoot blankets to use as a background each month.
These are a good idea if you plan to do monthly baby pictures. They make each photo session a bit easier and can even be customized with baby’s name!
You can use a photo editing app or get creative to circle or point to the month on the blanket.
Feature an older sibling
Including a sibling in the photos is a great way to capture your little angel. Encourage your older child to give baby a kiss or whisper a secret in their ear.
You can also lay them side by side or head-to-head. This is a great idea if the older sibling is still young and doesn’t understand certain poses. Family members would love to receive some of these adorable photos!
If you want to include the whole family, grab a tripod and set a camera timer. It can take a few tries to get the right shot, but it’s oh so worth it!
Cup baby’s hands or feet
They’re just so cute and small! This would also be cute for monthly baby photos to show how much they are growing. Put a wedding band over their toe for a sweet sentiment, Get the tissues ready – you just might cry!
Spell out baby’s name
One of the best creative baby photoshoot ideas is to use an object that means something to you and spell out baby’s name!
Does your little girl have a flowery name? Write it out in flower petals! Are you on a beach vacation? Do your baby girl’s photoshoot on the beach and write out her name in shells. Don’t be afraid to try lots of fun ideas – there’s no such thing as too many photos!
Take a picture of them in their nursery
Sometimes the best baby girl newborn photo ideas are the simplest ones. So many new moms work hard on their baby’s nursery, so why not feature it?
Place the baby in their crib for a sleeping shot or even in their nursery chair. Show off your hard work!
Swaddle them up
…Like the little bundle of joy that they are! Baby’s only like a swaddle for so long, and taking a relaxed sleepy photo will help you remember those priceless moments of newborn snuggles.
Take them outside
On an especially beautiful day, take them outside. Fields of flowers and a gorgeous landscape makes for some of the best pictures! Bring a tripod and grab some family pictures if you’re up for it. You can feature your 1 month old baby girl on a blanket outside with lots of natural sunlight for a beautiful one month photoshoot idea.
Write out the number of months
Pick an object (like donuts, baseballs, flowers, etc.) and put them around baby in each month’s photo. This leaves lots of room for creative monthly baby photo ideas and is the perfect way to feature something that’s important to you or your family!
Set a scene
Using a creative backdrops and props you can take some really cute photos of the newborn stage. There are tons of adorable ideas online, so get creative! You can order photo backdrops off of Amazon, along with some newborn photoshoot props. This may take some extra time to figure out the best angle, but the photos are so worth it!
I love the photos of babies laying in pools, sailing away, and dreaming on a cloud. The newborn pose and little scrunch gets me every time!
Use a family heirloom
Sometimes the best newborn photoshoot ideas are the ones that feature your family’s history! Have a necklace or set of pearls that are important to you? Wrap them around baby for the sweetest baby milestone photos.
Use a cute hat or outfit
There’s just nothing cuter than a naked baby wearing an oversized hat! Use whatever you like – hats, boas, suspender pants…whatever your style is! It’s a sweet way to show off their little baby rolls like the sweet cherub they are.
Related: 71+ Sweet Songs For Your Baby Slideshow
Baby Photoshoot Tips
Build texture
Grab some items of different texture – like a soft blanket placed inside of a wooden bowl or a fuzzy pillow for baby to lay on. Look at a photographer’s portfolio to gather some creative ideas for layering colors and textures.
Some of the cutest baby photo prop ideas are things you’d find around the house. There are tons of different things to use and try! Many professional photographers use bean bag chairs covered in textured blankets or sheets to pose and position baby.
Find natural light
Taking the photo with natural light will help your photos turn out clearer. Artificial light can alter the way baby’s skin photographs, so finding a spot near a window is your best bet.
On a sunny day, find a room in your house with the best lighting without lamps or overhead lighting on. When you find the right place, take a few test photos to make sure there’s no glare.
Alternatively, you could get a few ring lights. These can create the perfect lighting and minimize shadows if positioned properly.
Try lots of different angles
Grab photos from their head to their toes! Changing your angle as the photographer will guarantee some cute pictures. Take some standing over baby, laying on your tummy and getting baby straight on, with and without props, etc.
Don’t just capture their face
Also capture baby’s hands and feet! They grow so quickly, and I promise you’ll want to remember every tiny wrinkle on their hands.
Include siblings and pets
It’s always fun to look back at how small and loved your baby was by everyone! And those photos will be cherished forever.
Time your photoshoot properly
Give yourself a lot of time to get the perfect photos. Try to coordinate your photoshoot time around baby’s feeding – the best results come when baby is sleepy after a feed! They’ll hopefully be happy and not fussy as you pose your newborn.
Take some without the diaper
Diapers tend to be bulky and don’t photograph great. Take some photos with your bare-bottomed babe for a simpler look! A couple of pictures of the baby in just a diaper are also super adorable.
Check out free Facebook groups, the marketplace, or thrift stores
You can find some totally vintage and unique items in the place you least expect it! If you’re looking for unique monthly milestone photos on a budget, find some interesting props! Things like vintage chairs, miniature beds, fabrics, baskets, etc. can all be found at a bargain price.
Newborn baby photography is the perfect way to capture their littleness and precious moments. While I encourage everyone to get a professional family portrait done, doing it every month is just too pricey!
