Preparing for Your Second Baby Club Session2025-06-19T16:24:13+00:00
a baby in a rainbow outfit against a rainbow backdrop

The second Joey Club session is often a real turning point — your baby is full of curiosity, personality, and movement!

Whether they’re sitting confidently, crawling at speed, or still finding their balance, this is a brilliant stage to capture. Expect a mix of expressions, interaction, and the start of those signature baby quirks that make your little one totally them. This page has everything you need to feel prepared and relaxed for your upcoming session.

Just Booked…

Getting a Date in the Diary

The ideal time for your baby’s second session is when they’re sitting steadily unsupported.  If I was to be picky, I’d say that it’s also best if they’re not crawling, there can be a sweet spot in between those points which is perfect for your photo shoot as they can sit up by themselves but also largely stay where you put them. Now, it doesn’t really matter if they’re crawling, it’s just a bit harder work for us to distract them and keep them in one space and also to keep resetting them when they’ve shot off.  In any case, I’d recommend waiting until your baby is sitting steady rather than going by their age, so if they’re there at 7 months, great just book yourselves in.  If they need a little longer – no worries, do it later.

There’s nothing you need to do just yet – I’ll be back in touch with everything you need to know a little closer to the time but if you have questions or ideas in the meantime, I’m always happy to chat.

  • Around two weeks before your session, I’ll send you a short “what to expect” email with helpful info and reminders.

  • The day before your shoot, you’ll get an options form where you can share any backdrop, prop or theme preferences plus any personal touches you’d like to include along with any props from my collection.

  • And of course, you can browse the studio collections at any time if you’d like to get inspired or see what’s available.

All of that being said, there’s no pressure to plan every detail — your session is designed to create beautiful images of your baby and family and I’m here to guide you every step of the way.

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Pinterest Board - Plan your Session - 5-11 Months

Planning Inspiration on my Dedicated Client Pinterest Boards

If you love a bit of visual planning,I’ve created a dedicated Pinterest board to help you plan your newborn session with ease. It’s packed with real session examples, styling ideas, prop suggestions, and answers to common questions—all designed to help you feel prepared and inspired.

You can use the board in whatever way works best for you:

  • Pin your favourites to your own board to build a personal moodboard.

  • Invite me to your board if you’d like to collaborate on ideas.

  • Or simply show me your saved pins when you arrive at the studio so I know what’s caught your eye.

There’s no pressure to have everything figured out ahead of time—but if you enjoy planning, this is a great place to start.

Two Weeks Before…

It’s probably come around really quickly but your second Baby Club shoot is coming up in a couple of weeks.   It’s actually one of my favourites as you can really see their little personalities start to develop by this point.

You don’t need to bring much, and there’s no pressure to have anything perfectly planned. I’ll be sending you an options form the day before your shoot so you can let me know your choices from my backdrops, props and themes range anything else you’d like to do.  This is actually the perfect session for sibling photos and even if you would like to bring a fur baby along with you (dogs are always welcome at my place!)If you’ve spotted something on my Instagram or website that you love, feel free to mention it and if it’s easier to screenshot and send it to me in advance so you don’t need to remember on the day, then my Inbox is always open!

Things to Bring Along

There’s no need to bring along anything other than yourselves and your usual baby bag but of course you’re welcome to bring along anything that you’d like to include – favourite toys, gifts, blankets, personalised items and even items that reflect your hobbies or favourite teams are all popular options.  Now’s a great time to start popping these in one place so they’re ready to grab and bring with you on the day.

Now is a good time to have a little plan ahead and think if there’s a common thread you’d like to run through your sessions – for example, to bring the same toy to each session so you can look back over the year and see how they’ve grown and changed alongside it.  It can be a really nice way to create an image series to enjoy and it works really well in your Baby Club frame if you’re going for that over the free digital image option.

Your baby might well be teething at this age, so feel free to bring any soothing remedies you normally use (teething toys, gels etc.) — we can pause for cuddles whenever needed.

Scheduling your Session

The same applies about this as it did with the first baby club session (and in fact all baby photo shoots), let me know if your baby has significantly changed upo their schedule and the time you booked no longer works for you or if they’ve got sick or just had their jabs.  It’s usually better to move things than risk an session where your baby isn’t feeling or looking their best.

For this age group, I have a lot more props, themes and outfits that we can work with so if you’re looking for inspiration, it’s definitely a good idea to go browse the studio collections page.

Got Questions?  Just get in touch and I’m happy to help!

Looking for ideas for your photo shoot?  Check out my Dog Portrait Gallery!

The Day Before…

As usual, your options form will arrive in your Inbox today and you’ll be able to pick from my range of backdrops, props, themes and outfits as much as you’d like to.  It’s almost time for your first Baby Club shoot—just a quick note with some final tips and a reminder to complete your session options form, so I can have everything set up and ready for you – you should have found it in your inbox just after 9am this morning so if it’s not there, just let me know!  You’ll be able to let me know if you had a specific colour palette in mind, any props you’d like to include from my collection (if your baby is already nice and strong on their tummy) and any other thoughts you have on what you’d like to create while you’re visiting.  Don’t feel too pressured though, I’m more than happy to just go with the flow and simply capture your baby however they’re feeling on the day.

Last-Minute Reminders

Here are a few quick pointers to help your session run smoothly:

  • Get your outfits together today so they’re easy to grab: Including stuff for you and any older children if you’re including them.  It can be hard to organise things last minute when your baby is on the move and I don’t want you to feel hassled on the way over to the studio.

  • Teething: If teething is an issue (and it will probably kind of feel like it’s never not going to be) then keep those soothing toys or gels or powders or amber bracelets or whatever works in your bag so you’ve got it with you.

  • Snacks and Drinks: even if you’ve scheduled your session after they’ve had their main feed, sometimes a snack or drink can really help to keep them happier for their photos.

Remember, there’s no need to worry—this session is all about capturing your baby’s personality at their pace.

On the Day…

Starting your Session

As usual, I’ll come and meet you on the drive when you arrive and we’ll head straight on up to the studio to start your session.  As with the last Baby Club session, we’ll be working pretty fast to capitalise on any excitement your little might be feeling at being in a new environment and also, if they’re on the move, before they get so confident that it becomes impossible to keep them still!

Once again, feel free to bring your best silliness, songs and dances to get those giggles going.  No judgement here.  I’m happy to clown around for your baby but they might well be just starting to get a bit of a ‘stranger danger’ fear at this age group so there’s a good chance that they’ll much prefer to interact with you while I stay well out of the way and just capture them from a bit of a distance.

Packing Checklist

You might like to bring along some of the following to make sure your session goes without a hitch and you can get exactly the images you want.

  • Outfits (for you and anyone else you’re including)
  • Nappies & wipes (obvs)
  • Spare clothes (just in case)
  • A muslin or bib so we can keep on top of the inevitable dribble
  • Snacks and water in case they need a snack break
  • Dummy if you’re using it
  • Water for you
  • Personal props you’d like to include

Two Weeks After…

Your gallery will normally be ready for you to view about two weeks after your session and so this is a great time to keep an eye on your email (or indeed your Spam folder!) to see I’ve sent you through the info.  When it turns up, it’s as simple as clicking on the link, popping in your password and you’ll be heading straight to your gallery. Of course, this information will only be coming to you at the email address that you booked with but you’re free to share it with friends and family if you’d like to.

If you’re choosing the free digital image from each session, you’ll be able to do that in the same way as you did for your first photo shoot.  If you’re doing the frame, keep your powder dry and you’ll see everything to choose from at the end of the Baby Club year.

If you ever need to access your gallery directly, you can head to my gallery homepage at and enter your personal password.

Useful Articles…

If you’re the kind of person who likes to read more, then here’s a list of some of my main blog content that might be helpful to you when you’re looking ahead to your newborn photo shoot.

Useful Videos…

If you prefer your content in a video format, then check out my YouTube channel…

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