The Harris Family’s Outdoor and Studio Baby Photographs in Birmingham
I’ve had the opportunity to photograph and spend time with the Harris family for a few years.. I, first, met them for their oldest daughter’s 1st birthday studio session and have continued to capture memories for them yearly. For their second child we did a family/maternity session, a sitter session and an outdoor and studio 1st birthday session. It’s always a joy watching the little ones grow and develop personalities.
Maternity and Sitter Session
Before little sister arrived we were able to capture the Harris family at Altadena Valley Park in Vestavia.
The next session was a studio, sitter session. This is a favorite type of session for me because baby’s change so much in the first 6-8 months. First, there’s belly laying and pushing up, followed by grasping things, sitting and becoming more mobile. My favorite image to capture during these sessions is laying on their back while playing with their feet.
This session was only for baby and big sister. As always, I will capture the tiny details, solo images of baby and sibling shots along with solo sibling shots if wanted (only a few were requested so we had fun with those.)
Combining Nature and Studio for Perfect Baby Photos
When the Harris family asked me to photography them as a family just before little sisters 1st birthday and again for a studio sessions a few weeks later I knew we’d create special iamges. The mix of natural, outdoor backgrounds and the clean backdrop of my studio gave us a perfect mix of images for them to cherrish.
The outdoor part of our session took place at Railroad Park, one of Birmingham’s most loved green spaces. The evening light there creates a golden glow that looks amazing in photos!
As with all family sessions, we will capture every possible portrait and a variety of all of them. These are just some of my favorites from this session with a focus on baby. You can see the girls had lots of fun.
In the studio, we captured those classic clean-background shots that parents love. Little woman wore a classic, white, smocked dress that sister, also wore and blue dress for heirloom style portraits. We eneded the session with a cake smash. The studio setting lets us focus on tiny details like eyelashes, tiny hands, and sweet expressions without background distractions.
During these sessions baby’s and children are encouraged to play and move around so we can capture all aspects of their personalities. Bonnets are always a cute addition and, as you can see, don’t make it the entire session.
5 Tips for Planning Your Own Outdoor and Studio Baby Session in Birmingham
- Schedule Around Nap Time – Happy babies make for better photos! Plan your session when your little one is typically well-rested.
- Pack Smart – Bring extra outfits, snacks, favorite toys, and anything that might help your baby feel comfortable.
- Consider the Season – Spring photos can include Birmingham’s beautiful blooms, while fall offers lovely colors. Summer sessions work best in early morning before the heat. Check out the outdoor locations I use here.
- Mix Indoor and Outdoor – Book a photographer who can do both studio and outdoor shots. Since I only offer morning studio sessions the only way to do both sessions back to back is a sunrise session followed by a studio session.
Best Times for Baby Photography in Birmingham
Catching the right timing for baby photos makes all the difference. Most photographers recommend these milestone moments:
- Newborn (first two weeks)
- Three months (when baby starts holding up their head)
- Six-8 months (sitting up stage)
- Nine months (crawling/standing)
- One year birthday celebration
The Harris family chose to document several of these stages, creating a beautiful timeline of their children’s growth.
Ready to Book Your Birmingham Baby Photo Session?
If you’re thinking about capturing your little one’s precious moments with outdoor and studio baby photographs in Birmingham, I’d love to help! The Harris family’s experience shows how special these combined sessions can be.
To chat about creating your own custom baby photography experience, just reach out through my contact form at lauracardanphoto.com/inquire. I can’t wait to help you create beautiful memories of your baby’s first year in Birmingham!
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