As you start planning your baby’s photo shoot, you may have seen something on social media, caught advert that says ‘book your Sitter Session today’ or possibly its a term you’ve heard in conversation but always thought - what does that actually mean??
Well no worries, I’m here to explain it to you!
Hopefully by the end of this little read you’ll understand:
What a sitter session is
The benefits of having a sitter session
Your options if a sitter session isn’t suitable for your baby
Information about sitter sessions I can offer
So What Exactly Is A Sitter Session?
When you start to think about having a photoshoot for your baby you’ll be faced with a few options.
The first shoots you’ll see are Newborn Photoshoots. These shoots are designed for ‘fresh’ babies - and ideally they take place between 5-14 days after you baby is born. These shoots are the more popular sessions where little one is posed in those beautifully squishy sleepy poses. Capturing every small detail from head to toe.
If you’re babies older than this not to worry, some newborns are still able to have a newborn session up to 9 weeks old! For information on newborn sessions see my website - https://www.samanthapaigephotography.co.uk/newbornphotographysamanthapaigephotographybedfordshire
Second ones you’ll come across are cake smash sessions. These are to capture the huge milestone of your baby’s first birthday whilst letting them have a fantastic sensory experience - making a mess!
To see some of my cake smash & Splash sessions click here or view my website - https://www.samanthapaigephotography.co.uk/cakesmashsamanthapaigephotographybedfordshire
Then there’s a sitter session! The name gives a lot away for this - so a sitter session is a photo shoot for babies who can confidently sit up unsupported. Depending on your little one this is typically from about 6 months of age.
Now you know what it means let’s get into the details.
Positive’s of A Sitter Session
There are lots of positive aspects to having a sitter session and it’s the second best option if you never got round to having a newborn photoshoot. Have a read below and I’ll explain why.
Variety: You may think to yourself, how many different types of photos can I have by my baby just sitting up? Well, once your little one has aged past the ‘newborn’ stage, but before your baby can sit up unassisted the options for photographing them on their own are limited. During this age gap your little one may not be able to lift their head much during tummy time, yet they can’t be posed as a newborn would be as they aren’t as flexible. So the only options left are lying on their backs, attempting on their tummies or in your arms. Once a baby is confidently sitting up there is much more opportunity to capture different kinds of photos. At this stage of life they can sit on props, hold and interact with items, give beautiful smiles and they can enjoy tummy time whilst lifting their heads.
Personality & Character: It’s also around this time of your little ones life that we also start to see their personality shine through. You know what makes them laugh, their favourite funny face, a certain song, best toy or a silly move dad does. Another slight bonus from a photographers point of view, is that at this age your baby is usually quite comfortable to interact with strangers – they haven’t yet become shy around people they don’t know. This is great for a photographer, as this means they’re happy to engage with us - therefore we can capture lots of wonderful expressions – from big gummy smiles to long, serious stares. Capturing a natural genuine expression of your baby.
Let’s Move Baby! : It’s an incredible time when your little one starts to move. Even their first crawl is a moment to be treasured! Your little ones having the time of their life enjoying exploring the world around them learning and gaining independence. So naturally, they may not want to sit in-front of a camera when they get to the ‘Let’s Move Baby’ stage of life. Therefore the idea of having a photoshoot at the sitter stage (before they start to move) means you can capture lots of personality and variety in the photographs without your baby becoming frustrated by wanting to move around and explore.
“I think I’ve missed my chance for A Sitter Session”
Let’s be honest, there aren’t many parents that have a baby and their first thought is, ‘I need to have a photoshoot’. This first year of your babies life is all one exciting whirlwind, let alone the first few months! So yes, eventually after the first few months have passed and things start to settle, some parents may start to think about having a professional photoshoot. They may think/believe they’ve missed their chance. Well you couldn’t be further from the truth. Many photographers, myself including will offer a sitter stage at any point in your babies first year. Even if they’re not yet sitting, I have been known to do a newborn session at 9 weeks! Yes you are unlikely to get lots of sleepy squishy poses, but you can capture some wonderful images of your babies wide awake beautiful eyes.
Or on the flip side, they’re now moving, and moving fast! But this is ok too! It may take a touch longer to capture the perfect images but your babies personality will be shinning through!
For safety reasons, all my sitter sessions take place at my studio in Bedfordshire and for the hour or so that we have your little one in front of the camera, I aim to make them feel like a superstar. They’ll have a custom set up, props and outfits to suit your little ones personality and shows your beautiful baby in the best light.
For details on my sitter sessions drop me a message or visit my website - https://www.samanthapaigephotography.co.uk/sittersessionssamanthapaigephotographybedfordshire