“How often should I have family photos?” is a question I get asked frequently. The answer depends on what stage your children are at.

Baby’s First Year Recommendations

For the baby’s first year, I recommend getting multiple sessions. This can be a combination of “just baby”, “just kids” or “motherhood” photoshoots with full blown family photos. Some clients stick with the basics: Maternity, Newborn, 6 months, 1 year. Others really want to get each special stage photographed and include 3 months (smiling) 6 months (sitting) 9 months (crawling/standing) and 1 year (cake smash/family/walker). I personally REALLY love including 18 months as its own session. It is such an adorable stage and it is really a shame to skip it.

Bare Minimum

As a bare minimum, I recommend getting family photos once a year. Do a yearly family album and consider a statement portrait or a growing gallery wall. Most families who take this route do family photos in the fall when the weather is nice and in time for Christmas cards. If this is what you’re looking for, I recommend you book your photo session no later than August. Family Photographers are busiest in Fall and book up quickly. I highly recommend considering doing things differently and booking Spring Photos instead. The weather is still nice and you can take advantage of flowers blooming and a natural pastel color pallet.

The Birthday Portrait or Sibling Photos

While full blown family photos are something we usually do just once a year, I have a tradition of doing birthday portraits and sibling photos more frequently with my kids. I like each of them to have a portrait just suiting them at each year milestone (starting at age 2). I also like to do a session specifically designed for sibling photos at a different time of year and with a different “look” than our family photos.

How often should I have family photos?

What is the best way to practically execute this vision? Plan ahead. Think through what do you want to do with your photos? Do you want framed art? What milestones are important? Sessions need to be booked months in advance to make room to get on your desired photographer’s schedule and for proper planning.

Story Collective

I offer the perfect membership plan for families wanting to plan ahead. The membership includes a discounted session fee and an album credit at each ordering appointment. This helps family’s get photos throughout the year for family photos, sibling sessions, milestones and have a yearly photo album to treasure and look back on.

Session Options

Sessions have different purposes and different needs so I’ve created different session options to fit each need. Read more about them and our story collective here.