How Old Should Your Newborn Be for Photos? A Timing Guide for Ottawa Parents

One of the first questions new (or expecting) parents ask me is: "When should we actually book the newborn shoot?" It's a great question, and the honest answer is — earlier than most people think.

The short window that matters most

In the newborn photography world, "newborn" really means the first couple of weeks of life — most photographers, myself included, aim for somewhere in the 5-to-14-day range. Babies at this age are still curled up, sleepy, and easy to pose into those classic tucked-in shots. Past a few weeks, babies start stretching out, becoming more alert, and those sleepy curled poses get much harder to capture.

Why you should book before the baby arrives

Since that window is so short — and due dates are never exact — the best time to book your session is actually during pregnancy, ideally in your third trimester. That way, as soon as your baby arrives, we just confirm a date within that window instead of scrambling to find one. I keep newborn availability flexible for exactly this reason.

What if you're past the newborn window?

Life happens, and plenty of families reach out after that early window has passed. That's completely fine — it just means we shift the approach from classic posed newborn photography to a milestone-style session instead, which works beautifully for babies from about 3 months on.

What a newborn session with Moments & Lens includes

Newborn sessions start at $350, with custom packages available depending on what you're looking for — studio-style, in-home, or including the whole family. You can see examples of past sessions in the newborn portfolio.

Ready to book?

If you're expecting or have a newborn at home, reach out sooner rather than later — get in touch and I'll help you find the right date for that early window.