What does baby photography cost?
Baby photography covers babies from about one month to their first birthday — the stage of smiles, sitting up and crawling, after the sleepy newborn weeks. Sessions are usually an hour at home or in a park. On TulipFrame it starts from €250. The final quote depends on the photographer, duration, location, date and who else joins, so it can be above the starting price.
Newborn photos show a sleeping baby. Baby photos show a person: the first real smiles around six to eight weeks, the wobbly sitting at six months, the determined crawl towards the camera bag. This session is for any of those stages.
Many families book one session at a milestone, others book two or three across the first year. We match your request with a photographer near you who is comfortable with babies and their unpredictable timetables.
Milestones worth photographing
| Age | What you get |
|---|---|
| 2–4 months | First smiles, tummy time, lots of close-ups with parents |
| 6–8 months | Sitting up unaided, grabbing feet, laughing at siblings |
| 9–12 months | Crawling, pulling up to stand, first steps, personality |
| Around 1 year | Birthday cake smash, outdoor photos with shoes on |
If your baby is under about two to three weeks, newborn photography is the better fit — the approach to posing and safety is different.
Planning around naps
The single best predictor of a good session is a baby who has just slept and eaten. Tell the photographer your usual nap times and book the slot straight after the best nap of the day, which is often mid-morning.
Keep the plan loose. The photographer should expect feeds and nappy changes and build the hour around them rather than against them. Sessions at home avoid the travel-sleep problem altogether.
Home, park or both
Up to about six months, home is easiest: a bed or a play mat by a big window, familiar surroundings and a warm room. From six months, when babies can sit, a park session works well — a blanket on the grass under trees in Vondelpark, the Haarlemmerhout or Utrecht's Wilhelminapark, with parents walking and swinging the baby between frames.
In the Netherlands, spring and early autumn are the easiest outdoor months. Summer middays are bright and hot for small skin; winter outdoor sessions need warm layers that still show the baby's face.
The first-birthday cake smash
A cake smash is a short session where your one-year-old meets a small cake and the photographer records what happens. Photographers who offer it usually do a few clean portraits first, then the cake, then sometimes a quick bath. It is messy by design; bring a spare outfit and do it at home or somewhere with easy clean-up.
Preparing for the session
A little preparation makes an hour with a baby much easier:
- Feed before, not after. A baby who has just eaten is more relaxed; plan the start time around the next feed.
- Warm room for home sessions. Babies in a vest or bare-legged need it warmer than you would normally keep the house.
- Clear one spot by a window. A bed or play mat near the largest window gives soft, even light; the photographer will move furniture only if you are happy with it.
- Choose two outfits at most. One plain outfit and one favourite, both without large prints or characters.
- Plan the siblings. Older children are best photographed early, then given a job or a snack while the baby gets its turn.
Parents often worry about their own appearance more than the baby's. Wear something comfortable in a mid-tone colour and remember that in most of the pictures, you will be holding or looking at the baby — which is exactly what you will want to see later.
Price
Baby photography starts from €250. A series of sessions across the first year, a cake smash with setup, or prints and albums add to the quote. See the pricing page for how quotes are built, or read how many photos you get from a photoshoot.
What’s included
- Planning message about age, nap times and location
- Photographer time for the booked duration, paced around the baby
- Portraits of the baby with parents and siblings
- Close-up details: hands, feet, expressions
- Natural editing with accurate skin tones
- Online gallery with high-resolution downloads
Optional extras
Cake smash
Short, messy session around the first birthday; bring a spare outfit.
Milestone series
Two or three sessions across the first year with the same photographer.
Outdoor add-on
Twenty minutes in a nearby park after an at-home session, once the baby can sit.
Durations and what you receive
| Session | Edited photos |
|---|---|
| 45 minutes | 20–30 edited photos |
| 1 hour | 25–40 edited photos |
| 1.5 hours (with cake smash) | 35–55 edited photos |
Starting prices are indicative. Your final quote depends on the photographer, duration, location, number of people, date and specific requirements.
Who books this
- Parents of babies between one month and one year
- Families marking sitting up, crawling or first steps
- A first-birthday cake smash
- Parents who missed the newborn window
Baby Photography by city
Baby Photography: questions
What is the difference between newborn and baby photography?
Newborn sessions happen in roughly the first two weeks, when babies sleep deeply and curl up, and they focus on calm, safe posing. Baby sessions are for awake babies from about a month onwards and are more playful.
What is the best age for baby photos?
Many parents choose around six months, when babies sit up and laugh. But any milestone works; tell the photographer what you want to remember.
What should my baby wear?
Soft, plain clothes in muted colours, and nothing with big text. Bare feet photograph beautifully indoors. Bring a spare outfit.
What if my baby cries the whole time?
Photographers pause, let you feed or comfort the baby and continue when they settle. If a baby is unwell, most photographers will reschedule — confirm the policy when you book.
Can the session be at our home?
Yes, and it is often the easiest option for babies under six months.