Your child's life comes with so many milestones. From your baby's first smile to their first day of school, there are so many moments worth celebrating. A milestone photoshoot can be a fun way to preserve those fleeting phases. We worked with family photographer Lo McCarville to round up some of our favorite milestone photoshoot ideas. Lo also shares tips to get the most out of your photoshoot experience and those beautiful pictures you get afterward.
Memorable Milestone Photoshoot Ideas
Most milestone photoshoot ideas focus on month by month photos in a baby's first year. We love those! In fact, we created a whole roundup of our favorite monthly milestone photo ideas.
But there's a lot more to your family's life than your baby's first year. That's why we asked Lo to share some milestone photoshoot ideas that go beyond the usual baby laying beside a letter board. Most parents inquire about maternity, newborn, and holiday photos.
“As important as those milestones are,” Lo says, “I wish more people inquired about a slow Saturday morning together! Maybe it's summer and we go to the farmer's market or the beach. If it's winter, maybe it's pancakes at home. Intentionally setting aside time together is so special, and I think those are some of the sweetest memories.”
That lifestyle approach to photography can be effective for milestone photography because it gives you a sense of your child's personality and development in that season of life. Lo adds, “Oftentimes we're most nostalgic for cozy moments that feel the most real to us, moments that we didn't realize at the time would become so sentimental. Sometimes milestones aren't just birthdays or holidays. Sometimes it's about embracing life in between the milestones, too.”
Lo is a big fan of milestone photoshoots in a studio as well. She says, “A studio setting is great when you're looking for minimalist photos and when you don't want to worry about the weather.” Plus, you don't have to stress about cleaning your house on top of prepping your family for photos.
Wondering whom you should incorporate into your milestone photoshoot ideas? Lo recommends bringing close friends and family members who share important relationships with your children. “I've had people incorporate grandparents into photoshoots,” Lo says. “Most grandparents play an important role in children's lives and documenting generations of your family is really special.”
Lo's Tips for a Joyful Milestone Photoshoot
It's one thing to come up with adorable milestone photoshoot ideas; it's another to pull them off without any hiccups. Lo's experience as a family photographer and mom have taught her some helpful hacks for keeping everyone in good spirits.
Choose the right photographer.
If you're working with a professional photographer, Lo says, “Choose someone that you feel comfortable with and try to stick with the same photographer [for all milestone photoshoots] if you can.” You'll get consistency in style and editing for all of your milestone photos.
Your kids will respond better to the repetition as well. Children love a familiar face, Lo explains. Your photographer won't have to spend as much time warming your kids up to the camera.
It helps for parents, too. “Having a working relationship just makes things feel more routine and less stressful,” Lo adds.
Keep things playful.
Any of your milestone photoshoot ideas should center around your child's personality. Make the experience as fun for them as you can.
“Keep things playful and have lots of patience!” Lo advises. “I'm usually singing their favorite song, dancing around, and being goofy.”
Any kid can get overstimulated in a new situation, though. “When that feels like too much for them and isn't working,” Lo says, “I let them take the lead and run around for a bit. Giving them a little freedom and space usually results in happy kiddos.”
Bonus: That freedom just to be usually results in candids that will tug at your heartstrings.
Bring backup.
Lo recommends that parents bring whatever will keep their kids happy and comfortable for a milestone photoshoot. “Bring snacks, favorite toys, and a playlist of their favorite songs,” she says.
“I also let parents know that it might feel chaotic, but I promise that when they get their photos back, they will feel exactly the opposite!” Just try to focus on being in the moment with your little one.
Enjoying Your Milestone Photos
Of all Lo's milestone photoshoot ideas and tips, she's the most adamant about this one: Print your photos!
“Don't let them live on your phone,” Lo says. “Create a gallery wall in your home by choosing one favorite from each session. Make a photo book to look back on when you want to remember how this season felt.”
Investing in a cloud service and hard drive also ensures high resolution images don't get lost down the road, she adds.
We couldn't agree with Lo more when it comes to printing your favorite milestone photos. In fact, we created the Baby Notebook app precisely so you could get those heartwarming photos out of your phone and into a gorgeous book. In just a few minutes a week, you can create a complete memory book by the end of one year.
You can preserve your family's milestones in our books crafted for the unique seasons of your family's life. They include:
- The Baby Book for your baby's first year
- The Toddler Book that documents your child's second year
- The Magic Years Book for ages 2 to 3
- The Family Yearbook for all of your growing family's amazing milestones
Your family's milestones are worth preserving for future generations. Let us help you turn your phone's camera roll into beautiful memory books.
Download the Baby Notebook app today!
Thank you to Lo McCarville Photography for the sweet photos featured in this post.