What to expect from your Milestone Session
Baby Milestones
Your baby changes SO much in their first year! They really only have that "newborn look" for a couple of months. Around 3 months they are starting to smile, giggle, and hold their heads up when on their tummy. Around 6 months they are sitting unassisted, maybe even crawling! And around 9 months they are starting to pull up on objects to stand. It all happens SO fast, and professional photos are a beautiful way to remember those fleeting moments.
I have options available for you to customize your milestone experience! Use my Mini Milestone option for a quick and easy session, or the regular Milestone Session for an extra backdrop option along with more time and photos included.
Use the Mini or Regular Milestone sessions to capture your baby at 3/6/9/12 months, 6/12 months, or just their first birthday! You can also choose to go by their physical milestones - holding head up, sitting unassisted, standing assisted, and one year - instead of their age. Or use either the Mini or Regular Milestone to capture your baby every month! After all 12 sessions you'll have some amazing photos to create a collage of memories, PLUS you'll earn a FREE Cake Smash session!
No matter how you choose to capture your baby's milestones, you will end up with gorgeous photos to help you remember this time in their life!
I have options available for you to customize your milestone experience! Use my Mini Milestone option for a quick and easy session, or the regular Milestone Session for an extra backdrop option along with more time and photos included.
Use the Mini or Regular Milestone sessions to capture your baby at 3/6/9/12 months, 6/12 months, or just their first birthday! You can also choose to go by their physical milestones - holding head up, sitting unassisted, standing assisted, and one year - instead of their age. Or use either the Mini or Regular Milestone to capture your baby every month! After all 12 sessions you'll have some amazing photos to create a collage of memories, PLUS you'll earn a FREE Cake Smash session!
No matter how you choose to capture your baby's milestones, you will end up with gorgeous photos to help you remember this time in their life!
Milestones for Toddlers & Beyond!
Milestone sessions are NOT just for babies! These can be used any time you want to capture updated photos of your kiddos. It gets less common for people to get professional photos for their children after the 1 year mark, mainly because it seems like they aren't changing as quickly after that. But trust me, they are changing both physically and mentally every year, and marking the occasion with a special photoshoot is such a fun tradition! One of the best parts about photoshoots for older kiddos is that they can have an opinion on what type of session they want to do :) It can be really fun to plan a session around their current interests, or the theme of their upcoming birthday party. Have more than one kiddo? They can all join in on the photo fun with my Regular Milestone session!
Session Booking & Planning
Package — When reaching out for information on a milestone session through my contact form, you'll receive an automated email that includes details for both types of Milestone Sessions. Let me know whether you want to purchase a Mini or Regular Milestone. Mini sessions include only 1 backdrop, while the Regular sessions include 2 (or 1 custom backdrop). Both packages include photos on a white fur blanket in addition to the backdrop(s) (typically used for babies 1 year and younger). I will pull age-appropriate props that coordinate with the backdrop(s) to use during the session. Ideally I use 2-3 props as well as shots with no props for each backdrop.
I do have options for a Cake Smashes if you prefer that for a first birthday option.
Schedule — You’ve selected a package, it's time to get on my calendar! I'm available Tuesdays and Thursdays between school hours as well as evenings for studio sessions. Saturday times are also available but fill up quickly. I will ask what the happiest part of your baby’s day is and we will schedule accordingly (a lot of times it ends up being 10 or 11am). Oftentimes, if we schedule the session several months in advance, we will need to adjust the time if he or she has had a change in nap times. Remember… we are aiming to set your session up for success! Please notify me as soon as possible of any adjustments that need to be made.
Backdrops -- Once the package has been selected, I will send you my questionnaire. I have many backdrops available, from simple wood and brick options to more elaborate themes. There are SO MANY fun and adorable options, it's overwhelming! Whatever you choose, make it YOURS. Choose something classic that goes with your home decor, choose something fun that brings out your baby's personality, or choose something that reflects the season/nearest holiday. Some of my clients simply see an outfit, love the outfit, and we build the entire session around that outfit!
Retainer & Contract -- Once we have the package selected and appointment scheduled I will send over a retainer invoice and contract. After both have been signed/paid, you are officially booked! Due to the nature of photography, this is non-negotiable.
I do have options for a Cake Smashes if you prefer that for a first birthday option.
Schedule — You’ve selected a package, it's time to get on my calendar! I'm available Tuesdays and Thursdays between school hours as well as evenings for studio sessions. Saturday times are also available but fill up quickly. I will ask what the happiest part of your baby’s day is and we will schedule accordingly (a lot of times it ends up being 10 or 11am). Oftentimes, if we schedule the session several months in advance, we will need to adjust the time if he or she has had a change in nap times. Remember… we are aiming to set your session up for success! Please notify me as soon as possible of any adjustments that need to be made.
Backdrops -- Once the package has been selected, I will send you my questionnaire. I have many backdrops available, from simple wood and brick options to more elaborate themes. There are SO MANY fun and adorable options, it's overwhelming! Whatever you choose, make it YOURS. Choose something classic that goes with your home decor, choose something fun that brings out your baby's personality, or choose something that reflects the season/nearest holiday. Some of my clients simply see an outfit, love the outfit, and we build the entire session around that outfit!
Retainer & Contract -- Once we have the package selected and appointment scheduled I will send over a retainer invoice and contract. After both have been signed/paid, you are officially booked! Due to the nature of photography, this is non-negotiable.
3 month milestone - Tummy Time stage
3 month olds are generally starting to smile when interacted with, which is super fun :D They don't always, but they are still just so cute. They are starting to lose that newborn look and their personalities are starting to show. Sometimes they can hold their heads up while on their tummy (feel free to wait till after 3 months to book if you'd rather capture this physical milestone!). I have buckets, crates, and a specially designed "chair' that allows me to get photos of baby upright, as well as taking shots from above of them laying on their backs.
6 month milestone - Sitter stage
6 month sessions are one of my favorite types of sessions! I love that the babies are (generally) sitting up on their own, not super mobile, and starting to get playful and curious. I also have a lot of really cute couture outfits (especially for girls) that fit 6-12 months. Sometimes "stranger danger" is starting to kick in at the point, but usually this age is still just super happy to be interacted with!
9 month milestone - Standing stage
For 9 month sessions we usually get to show off baby's standing skills. Every baby is different though, so if you'd rather wait until they are pulling up/cruising, that's fine too! I'm usually a little more confident posing them on chairs, and sometimes they really give their parents a workout because they are fast crawlers! It's amazing seeing them learning their new skills, and occasionally I'm even able to capture some of their first steps!
12 month milestone - First Birthday!
Time to celebrate being 1 year old! The 12 month session is all about celebrating your baby and all that they have grown to be in their first year of life! By now they usually have big personalities and it's always interesting to see how they will react at their session. Some are happy to explore and engage while others would much rather hang out with mommy haha! Either way, it's so fun to try to pull them out of their shell and capture who they are at this stage.
B A B Y ' S F I R S T Y E A R C L U B !
Use my Milestone or Mini Milestone Sessions to capture your baby every month for their first year! They change SO much each
month, and this is such a fun and special way to document that. At the end of the year you'll have an amazing
keepsake collection of images that you'll treasure for years to come. If you complete all 12 months of sessions,
you will receive a FREE custom cake smash (booked the same day as the final Milestone Session)
Use my Milestone or Mini Milestone Sessions to capture your baby every month for their first year! They change SO much each
month, and this is such a fun and special way to document that. At the end of the year you'll have an amazing
keepsake collection of images that you'll treasure for years to come. If you complete all 12 months of sessions,
you will receive a FREE custom cake smash (booked the same day as the final Milestone Session)
What to Expect During Your Session
Where is the session?:
My little studio is located in Sycamore, IL, near Rt 23 and Peace Rd.
When you arrive:
I will have you dress baby when you arrive (and check for clean diaper). Please don't have baby already dressed in their photoshoot outfit because the odds are pretty good there will be drool, spitup, or both :) Regular Milestones get 1-2 backdrops and 1-2 outfits, so if you have brought 2 outfits have the other out and ready for a quick change. If we are doing sibling photos I will start with those. Then I'll move on to using whatever age-appropriate props I have pulled out for baby to use with the first backdrop, and then also get some shots without props. With babies I also do top-down shots of them laying on their back on a white fur blanket. I'll ask if you prefer the shots to be with the first or second outfit and we'll take them either before switching to the next set or right after baby has been changed into the second outfit. Sometimes a clothes change will really get on baby's nerves, so we may have to take a quick snack/drink break to get back to happy. Then we'll move on to the second backdrop (if applicable) and I'll have a different set of props to use to keep things interesting :)
These sessions tend to go by pretty quickly! I've found most babies will tolerate me for about 15 minutes haha, after that we all have to try a little harder. I try to keep things moving quickly to both keep the baby interested/engaged and get as much variety as I can before the session is over.
Just a reminder — I am all for having family involvement, but oftentimes having parents/siblings as well as myself trying to get the baby's attention is a bit overwhelming. Sometimes it's best to just hang back and wait for me to ask for help as needed :)
My little studio is located in Sycamore, IL, near Rt 23 and Peace Rd.
When you arrive:
I will have you dress baby when you arrive (and check for clean diaper). Please don't have baby already dressed in their photoshoot outfit because the odds are pretty good there will be drool, spitup, or both :) Regular Milestones get 1-2 backdrops and 1-2 outfits, so if you have brought 2 outfits have the other out and ready for a quick change. If we are doing sibling photos I will start with those. Then I'll move on to using whatever age-appropriate props I have pulled out for baby to use with the first backdrop, and then also get some shots without props. With babies I also do top-down shots of them laying on their back on a white fur blanket. I'll ask if you prefer the shots to be with the first or second outfit and we'll take them either before switching to the next set or right after baby has been changed into the second outfit. Sometimes a clothes change will really get on baby's nerves, so we may have to take a quick snack/drink break to get back to happy. Then we'll move on to the second backdrop (if applicable) and I'll have a different set of props to use to keep things interesting :)
These sessions tend to go by pretty quickly! I've found most babies will tolerate me for about 15 minutes haha, after that we all have to try a little harder. I try to keep things moving quickly to both keep the baby interested/engaged and get as much variety as I can before the session is over.
Just a reminder — I am all for having family involvement, but oftentimes having parents/siblings as well as myself trying to get the baby's attention is a bit overwhelming. Sometimes it's best to just hang back and wait for me to ask for help as needed :)
What comes next?
Sneak peeks are typically posted on my Facebook Page or sent via email (if you don't allow Facebook sharing) within one week of your session. (This is subject to change depending on workload.)
Your image selection gallery will be delivered within two weeks of your session via password protected online gallery. The instructions to access gallery and choose your images will be included with the email.
The gallery will also include options to purchase prints through my professional lab. You can even purchase prints for photos that you do not select for your final gallery. You may also share this gallery with others who will then have the option to purchase prints as well.
Your image selection gallery will be delivered within two weeks of your session via password protected online gallery. The instructions to access gallery and choose your images will be included with the email.
The gallery will also include options to purchase prints through my professional lab. You can even purchase prints for photos that you do not select for your final gallery. You may also share this gallery with others who will then have the option to purchase prints as well.
