Is 6 months too early for baby photos – or too late?
For many parents, it’s the half-year mark that stops them in their tracks.
Six months.
Half a year.
Somewhere between just born and almost one.
It’s not usually marked with cake or cards – but it often brings a sudden realisation:
“We meant to do newborn photos… and then everything else happened.”
The half-birthday becomes a quiet checkpoint.
A moment of looking back – and forward – all at once.
If that’s where you are, you’re not late.
You’re exactly where many parents find themselves.
Why this stage is so often overlooked
The first months of parenthood are intense – and oddly slow.
Days can feel repetitive: feeding, sleeping, nappies, broken nights.
Getting out of the house can feel like a military operation, starting hours earlier than planned, all while running on very little sleep.
For some parents, the newborn phase is deeply emotional.
For others, it’s monotonous, exhausting, and hard to enjoy – even though they love their baby fiercely.
This is rarely talked about.
And it’s one of the biggest reasons plans get delayed.
Not because parents didn’t care – but because life genuinely got in the way.
By the time things feel more manageable, their baby is suddenly six months old…
and the question becomes:
“Is it still early enough?”
The strange way time moves in the first year
One of the hardest things to explain about early parenthood is how time behaves.
At first, it crawls.
The days feel long.
Progress feels invisible.
Then, without much warning, everything speeds up.
Babies begin to engage more.
Expressions appear.
Reactions feel intentional.
Personality starts to shine through.
The half-year mark often lands right in the middle of this shift – when parents suddenly realise how much has changed, and how quickly it’s happening now.
This is why the 6–8 month stage is so often overlooked in the moment – and so deeply felt later on.
Why the 6-8 month stage looks different from newborns (and why that matters)
One hesitation parents often have is comparing this stage to newborn portraits.
They worry it’s:
- too different
- too late
- not what they originally imagined
But this stage isn’t meant to mirror newborns.
At six to eight months, babies are:
- alert and responsive
- deeply familiar with their parents
- curious about the world around them
- beginning to show clear preferences and personality
This is no longer about tiny details or sleepy stillness.
It’s about relationship.
For many parents, this is the first stage that truly reflects who their baby is becoming – not just that they arrived.
“But my baby doesn’t sit yet… or won’t sit still”
This worry comes up all the time – especially around the half-year mark.
Here’s the part most parents don’t hear enough:
babies don’t follow timelines.
Some sit early.
Some don’t.
Some can sit – but absolutely refuse to when you want them to!
And some are far more interested in rolling, reaching, or exploring.
After photographing hundreds of babies, I’ve learned this:
can and want to are often two very different moods.
That’s why my approach is always baby-led.
The flow, the positions, the pacing – they’re all shaped around what your baby is naturally doing that day.
Babies don’t need to perform here.
They just need to be themselves.
And honestly, this is often what makes this stage so enjoyable.
Babies at this age have personality – and that makes the experience feel lighter, more interactive, and genuinely fun.
Why parents often don’t realise how quickly this stage passes
Because the early months can feel so slow, it’s easy to assume there’s plenty of time.
But once babies become more engaged, change happens rapidly.
Movement increases.
Energy shifts.
Independence begins.
The calm, connected nature of this stage often passes quietly – without ceremony – and is replaced by something faster and louder.
That’s why parents so often say:
“I didn’t realise how brief that stage was until it was gone.”
There’s no ‘perfect’ age – and six months is often just right
If you’re weighing this up while on maternity leave – especially with reduced pay – it’s natural to hesitate.
You might be wondering:
- Is it still early?
- Will this be worth it now?
- Should we wait a bit longer?
Here’s the reassurance I give parents again and again:
it’s not too late – and for many families, this stage is actually a better fit.
Parents feel more confident.
Babies are more engaged.
The experience itself often feels calmer and less pressured than those early weeks.
Waiting wasn’t a mistake.
It was just real life unfolding.
If you’re curious what a 6 month baby photography session feels like from a parent’s point of view, when is the best age for baby portraits? is, these articles may help.
A quiet invitation
If the half-year mark has made you pause – and you’re wondering whether now could still be meaningful – I’d love to talk it through with you.
No pressure.
No perfect parenting required.
Just an honest conversation about what feels right for your baby and your family.
Let’s chat about your baby’s story
FAQ’s
You’ll find answers here to questions specific 6-8 month baby photography. For more general questions about the process, artwork, and booking, the main FAQs cover things in more depth.
