This past weekend while visiting Boston, I had the opportunity to photograph new parents, Patrick and Rusty, with their two-month old son, Dominic. As I watched these wonderfully attentive dads interact with their infant, I began to think about all the advice that gets doled out to us as parents, and in particular the recommendation about the timing of newborn photos. The short answer is–the best time to take newborn photos is always whenever you can!! There is no magical line that your baby is going to cross and suddenly not be adorable and perfect (OK-well, at least in photos–in real-life–there are plenty of not cute moments in parenthood). So if the dogmatic recommendation to get newborn photos in the first 10 days of life doesn’t work for your family–throw it out the window. (Frankly, that goes for all dogmatic parenting advice).

Not all parents are ready to welcome a photographer into the sacred space of their home in the very early sleepy newborn days. Babies don’t subscribe to anyone’s schedule, and there is a very real adjustment phase when you welcome a new member into your family. Your baby’s comfort and health, as well as yours, are always the first priorities. So if those early days slip away in a sleep-depleted fog, and suddenly you’re holding a two-(or three or four)-month old, that doesn’t mean you can’t still get lovely photos to document this wonderful change in your lives.

In this family session the sleepy newborn stage had already passed, and Dominic was alert and engaged. (Sleep was not on the agenda!) At this age you aren’t likely to get meticulously posed newborn images, but you will get photos of beautifully alert expressions. By two months babies are tracking and drawn to sharp contrast–that ceiling fan is a work of art! One of my favorite images from this day is this one of Dominic clearly enamored by the white rabbit Dad was holding.

Photographs are meant to be a window to our dearest memories. When photographing this family I was touched by the careful way Dad made sure that Dominic’s suspenders were just right. In my mind’s eye I could see the same action replaying many years later, as Dad adjusts Dominic’s tie at his wedding. When you document your family’s moments is not nearly as important as making sure that you do document them. The faces in the photos inevitably will get older, but the love will only be deeper and richer.