Why We Don’t Shoot Newborns in the Afternoon or Evening

Understanding the timing that works best for beautiful, safe, and stress-free newborn sessions

One of the most common questions I get as a newborn photographer is:
“Can we book a late afternoon or evening session?”

And while I completely understand the desire to fit a session around work, school pickups, or general life chaos — the answer is no, not for newborns. After more than 10 years in business and over 2,000 sessions behind me, I can confidently say that the time of day you choose for your newborn session can make or break the experience.

There are several very real reasons why we only offer newborn sessions in the morning or early afternoon. Here's why.

Newborns in the Evening: Unsettled, Overtired, and Hard to Pose

As beautiful and peaceful as newborn photos appear, there’s a lot of care and attention that goes into creating that calm environment. By the late afternoon or evening, most newborns are completely “touched out” — they’ve been cuddled, changed, fed, burped, and stimulated all day, and many hit what’s commonly called the witching hour.

At this time of day, babies are often overtired and more sensitive to being moved, undressed, or gently positioned. This doesn’t just make things more difficult — it can become unsafe. A baby who is fussy or flailing cannot be posed safely, and we never push through or compromise their well-being just to “get the shot.”

From experience, the latest we recommend starting a newborn session is 1pm. This gives us enough time to work through the session while your baby is still more likely to settle, feed, and respond calmly to the gentle transitions we guide them through.

Toddlers in the Late Afternoon: Cue the Meltdowns

Including a toddler in your newborn session? Timing is especially important.

By late afternoon, most toddlers are past their prime. Even those who’ve napped can become overstimulated and overwhelmed by the end of the day. When tired, they are less likely to follow gentle guidance, more prone to big emotions, and more resistant to anything that doesn’t feel like play — and a quiet, calm newborn session doesn’t always hit that mark for them.

Morning sessions work best when toddlers are fresher, more cooperative, and more likely to respond to the session as a fun and positive experience.

School-Aged Siblings After School: Tired and Distracted

If your older children are in school, a late afternoon session might seem like the logical choice — but we urge families to reconsider. Kids coming straight from school are often mentally tired, hungry, and ready for downtime. Asking them to engage in a structured session and be gentle, focused, and calm can be a big ask.

We’ve found that younger school-aged children (especially under 8) are far more settled and cooperative in the morning — especially if the session falls on a day when they’re not coming straight from school.

What About Outdoor Sessions in the Afternoon?

While we don’t shoot posed newborn sessions in the afternoon or evening, we do occasionally offer outdoor sessions in those timeframes — typically for family or maternity sessions.

If your newborn is coming along, the structure and goals of the session are completely different. We do not unwrap or pose your baby outdoors — their delicate skin needs to be protected from the sun, bugs, and even grass irritation. Instead, baby remains wrapped, held, and kept warm throughout the session. The focus here is on natural interactions — not posed portraits.

These sessions are relaxed, lifestyle-style shoots, and it’s important for parents to know that perfection isn’t the goal here. Toddlers are not expected to pose or sit still — instead, we aim to capture beautiful moments of connection and personality as they naturally unfold.

Respecting Business Hours (And Real Life)

Like many small business owners, I operate within set business hours to allow space for planning, editing, and, most importantly, my own family. I don’t shoot on every Friday evening, and I don’t book late newborn sessions — not because I don’t care, but because I know from experience that it doesn’t serve you well.

That said, we do hold Thursday evenings for outdoor family and maternity sessions, particularly to take advantage of the golden light. The exact start time depends on the time of year and lighting conditions, and I’ll always discuss the ideal window with you during the booking process. We’ll also chat about what that time of day means for young babies and toddlers so you can make an informed decision before confirming.

Experience You Can Trust

After over a decade of photographing newborns, and more than 2,000 sessions with families just like yours, everything about how I run these sessions — including timing — comes from real-world experience.

These recommendations exist to give you the best chance of a calm, beautiful, and enjoyable experience. Not only does this lead to a more relaxed session, but it ensures the outcome matches the dreamy, emotive images you’ve seen in my portfolio.

If you ever have questions or want to talk through what time might work best for your family, I’m always happy to help.

Let’s plan a session that works for your baby — and for you.