Birthday Photo Ideas and Inspiration

My baby is turning 9 this month. I can’t believe it! Her last year of single digits! I feel like she changed so much last year. She’s gotten taller. Her smile has changed. She just looks more grown up. That’s why I love doing birthday photos for my kids every year. It’s so fun to see how much they’ve grown and changed over the years.

Do you take birthday photos? I’m not talking about photos at a birthday party or family get together. I’m talking about special pictures of your child to celebrate their age? If not, you should totally start! Even if it’s just with your smartphone. But, honestly, your digital camera is a better choice for this because you’ll probably want to print or frame these pictures. Here are a few birthday photo ideas and inspiration to get you started.

Before you begin, make sure you plan out your shoot first. Trying to pull something off last minute is only going to leave you feeling rushed and frustrated. Think about how you want your pictures to look? Are you going to shoot indoors or out? Do you have a location in mind? Do you have a special outfit for them to wear? Once you’ve got all the details down, pick a date and go for it! Now, on to the fun stuff …

Include a prop. This could be a small cake or cupcake, a fun party hat, balloons, garland, wooden letters or numbers, confetti. Whatever you choose, keep it hidden until the day of the shoot. Having something new and exciting for your kids to hold, touch, play with will keep them engaged for a little longer. A chair, vintage highchair, or wagon works really well to help keep your little one contained for a minute or two while you snap a picture. Just make sure you keep safety in mind. Have an extra pair of hands to help with tiny escape artists or to avoid any falls.

Remember the details. These are some of my favorite shots. Tiny hands and feet. Cake and crumbs all over the place. Colorful sprinkles. A goofy grin. Details help to tell a more complete story when you’re taking pictures. Don’t be afraid to get in nice and close to capture those details.

Include siblings. At your own risk. Lol! This might make things a little more chaotic so I’d recommend getting all of the shots you want of the birthday boy or girl first and then adding big bro or sis. It’s fun to document the relationship between siblings. Try to capture the in between moments though. Don’t get them all lined up for a happy-everybody-looking-at-the-camera shot. Instead, watch for moments that shows off their dynamic.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these birthday photo ideas. I’d love to hear your ideas too. How do you document your child’s birthday? Do you have a favorite photo that you’ve taken? I’d love to see! Post it on Instagram and tag me @stacymaephotography.

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