A baby's first year is an important time to start documenting their life with professional photography. Even though the parents may be snapping away, a portrait professional can capture the baby in unique, artistic ways and produce professional archival prints that will last for generations. Understanding the importance of the task, many parents wonder when are the best months in the first year for professional infant photography. The following are some guidelines that identify what can be expected at the different stages of the baby's first year or so.

Newborn - The first 5 to 10 days is the best time for newborn baby photography. During this time they are less fussy and their skin will be more clear. Baby acne usually sets in around day 16 and lasts for a couple of weeks, so having the session done before this will work in your favor. Newborn sessions often involve naked baby's laying on soft blankets or in the family's arms. Whether the baby is awake or asleep, these pictures should not be missed as they are an incredible way to begin documenting a person's life.

2 to 3 months - This time is still considered newborn, but the babies are often much harder to work with at this age as they tend to be very fussy. They will have better head control than in the first month, and they usually can smile at this point, but do not count on getting a smiling portrait at this age. Most posing will involve the baby laying down on back or stomach, being propped up, and being held in arms.

4 to 5 months - Most infants are quite chubby by this time, and are much better at smiling and making faces. These babies are still not able to sit up, but they are more able to interact with people and toys. This is a perfect time to capture chubby arms and legs, and bare bottoms - and you may even be able to get them to smile on camera.

6 to 7 months - Around this age the infant is able to sit up, and there are many more options for photography posing. Outdoor sessions are now possible for six month old portraits, but remember that babies at this age love to put everything in their mouth, so choose the outdoor location carefully. This is a great age for portraits with pets, and siblings as the infant is usually not mobile yet - just able to sit up, laugh and smile!

8 to 10 months - This age can be very active as most infants are crawling at this point. These sessions are lots of fun as the baby tends to be very expressive and playful. Try a white background in the studio for a classic, clean look. But be ready to have to reset the baby continually to the right area of light. For very active babies, consider a home study session where the photographer comes to the home and uses natural light to capture the roaming baby on their own turf.

11 to 14 months - Within this age range, most babies are pulling up, standing, "cruising" along furniture and then walking. This is a great age for location sessions to give the baby more room to move around than in the studio. A One Year portrait session should be done sometime in this age range to document the milestone of turning one and starting to walk. This is another key session to document a baby's development.

So given these ages for professional baby photography, which ones are the best? As a photographer and a parent, I would recommend having the baby professionally photographed as a newborn (around 7 to 10 days old), then at 4 months (chubby baby bottoms), followed by 6 or 7 months (sitting), 9 months (crawling), then 12 to 13 months (standing). If you can only do three - make sure to get newborn, 6 to 7 month portraits, and the One Year milestone. When purchasing prints, order professional archival prints that will last for generations, as these photos should be around for this babies great grand-babies. This is the gift of professional photography.