Baby photos Heidelberg
Baby photography at home, in Heidelberg and the Rhine-Neckar region
Baby photos in Heidelberg, with no studio or props: I’ll come to your home and photograph your baby just as they are – cuddling, yawning, marvelling and sleeping. From newborns in their first few weeks right up to their first birthday.
I’m a dad myself and know just how quickly that first year flies by. And that there are hardly any photos of Mum or Dad with the baby, because one of you is always holding the mobile. After the shoot, you’ll have memories of this time – with all the love and all the chaos – and you’ll all be in the pictures.
Packages from €490 · Frequently asked questions
Baby photography as a home session
With me, baby photography is a home session. For families with a newborn it’s the most relaxed way to do it: I come to you, and your baby stays where they feel at home. No photo studio, no trip with the car seat and changing bag, no unfamiliar room. At home you already have everything your pictures need to tell their story: your bed, the blanket from the sofa, the light at the window, the first cuddly toy.
No poses, no props. I don’t put your baby in little baskets or arrange them in poses. You hold them, cuddle, change and feed them, and I photograph the moments that happen along the way. That’s how you get calm, honest pictures in which your baby looks like your baby.
Calm comes first. Your baby is the centre of attention and sets the pace; breaks for breastfeeding, changing or sleeping are part of it. I work quietly and from a little distance. After a few minutes the camera simply becomes part of the atmosphere for everyone.
The light that’s there. I photograph without flash, using the daylight that comes through the window. Ideally in the morning, when it’s soft and bright.
From newborn to first birthday
The first few weeks
A newborn shoot in the first weeks of your baby’s life: they sleep a lot, their hands are tiny, and you’re still in the middle of settling in. These first moments won’t come again. Right now especially, it’s good that you don’t have to go anywhere. I come when it suits you, and we carry on for as long as everyone’s happy.
The first few months
After a few weeks comes the first smile, then wonder at everything that moves. Your baby looks at you, grabs at hair and fingers, lies on their tummy and lifts their head. Moments that look a little different every day.
Sitting, crawling, exploring
In the second half of the year things get livelier: your baby sits up, starts crawling, empties drawers and puts everything in their mouth. I photograph the exploring, down on the floor and at eye level. From now on, part of the shoot can also happen outside, on a blanket in the grass.
Around the first birthday
The first cake, the first candle, maybe even the first steps holding someone’s hand. Whether with grandparents and siblings around the table or on a quiet morning, just the three of you: a lovely way to round off the first year.
What are some ideas for beautiful baby photos?
The best ideas usually come from your everyday life. Here are a few that crop up during almost every shoot:
Little hands and feet. A foot in Dad’s hand, a fist around Mum’s finger, the hair on the back of the head. It’s the memories of details like these that fade fastest.
Mum, Dad and siblings. The baby on your chest, the big sister gently stroking their head. These are the family photos in which you as parents are finally in the picture too.
Your everyday life. Bathing, changing, breastfeeding, falling asleep in your arms. But only what you want to show; that’s your call.
Your home. The nursery you’ve set up, the spot by the window, the stairs that will soon become an adventure. The place you live is part of your family story too.
Where are the best places for a photoshoot with a baby in Heidelberg?
In the first few months your home is the best place: warm, quiet, with the changing table and sofa close by. Once your baby is a bit older and the weather is mild, I’m happy to head out with you for a while. Three places in Heidelberg where families with a baby feel at home:
Neckarwiese in Neuenheim. A blanket in the grass, with the river and the Old Town opposite. From experience, it’s still quiet there in the morning.
Heiligenberg. Shady woodland paths, good for warm days and a walk with the baby in the carrier.
Handschuhsheimer Feld. Farm tracks, fruit trees and lots of sky on the edge of town, quiet and with soft light in the afternoon.
Your photos: gallery and prints
So that your memories don’t vanish into your downloads folder, you’ll get your photos two to three weeks after the shoot in your own gallery here on my website, password-protected and in full size to download. On your phone you can save them straight to your Photos app. And one day your children will want to see how tiny they once were.
Mark your favourite photos and put together sets, say for Grandma and Grandad or for the birth announcement cards, and order fine art prints right there. View the sample gallery
Hi, I’m Daan
I’m a photographer and web designer in Heidelberg, and I’m a dad myself. From my own experience, I know just how hectic the first few weeks with a baby can be and how little you feel like a studio appointment then. For me, baby photography is part of family photography, and whether as a family photographer or as a wedding photographer, I work the same way everywhere: observing rather than staging. You can see more of my work in my portfolio.
I only show pictures of babies and children with the parents’ permission. That’s why the photos on this page come from weddings, travels, a paediatric practice and a house in Pfaffengrund.
Prices for baby photography in Heidelberg
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Package S: Snapshot
€490
Up to two hours. For the register office, for families, couples or babies.
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Package M: Reportage, half day
€990
Up to four hours, roughly from the ceremony to afternoon coffee.
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Package L: Reportage, full day
€1,890
Up to eight hours, from getting ready to the dancing.
In every package
- Getting to know each other first, ideally over a coffee in Heidelberg, otherwise on a call
- Every good photo edited individually, 30 to 60 per hour
- Your own password-protected online gallery, with everything downloadable at full size
- Fine art prints straight from the gallery
All prices include VAT; travel costs are added depending on the distance. You’ll get the quote and invoice from the Heidelberg agency stark.marketing ↗, which all my projects run through.
The process: how the photoshoot at your home works
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Enquiry
Drop me a line to let me know how old your baby is, where you live and when would suit you. For a newborn shoot, feel free to get in touch even before the birth, giving me your due date.
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Getting to know each other
A short consultation, ideally over a coffee in Heidelberg, otherwise on a call. You tell me what you’d like, and I tell you how I work.
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Quote
You’ll get a quote from stark.marketing, covering the package and travel.
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The date
We fix the day; for newborns, only once your baby has arrived. Ideally a morning, when everyone is well rested and fed.
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The shoot
I come to you, you make yourselves comfortable, I take the photos. A relaxed atmosphere matters more than any single photo.
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Your photos
After two to three weeks you’ll get the link to your online gallery, with all the photos edited.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a baby photoshoot in Heidelberg cost?
My rate is €490 including VAT. That covers the ‘Snapshot’ package (Package S) for up to two hours at your home, including an introductory meeting, all edited photos and your online gallery. Travel costs are added depending on the distance.
How old should a baby be for a baby shoot?
Every stage of the first year has its own distinctive photos. In the first few weeks, your baby sleeps a lot, so the photos are calm and intimate. Later on, they’re awake, laughing and crawling. You can also book two sessions, for example in the first few weeks and for their first birthday.
When is the best time for baby photos?
In the morning, when your baby has had a feed and a good sleep and the light is streaming in through the window. But it’s your baby who decides the exact time: we go by their rhythm, not the clock.
Will the photoshoot take place at our home?
Yes, always. I don’t have a photo studio, so I come to you with my camera. If your baby is a bit older and the weather is nice, we can also head outside for a while if you like.
How long does a baby shoot take?
Up to two hours, including all the breaks for feeding, changing and sleeping. We’re often done sooner, because we stop when your baby has had enough.
What if our baby is awake or unsettled?
Then they’re awake, and that’s fine: awake babies make wonderful pictures, with big eyes and funny faces. If they’re unsettled, we take a break and you look after your baby in peace; there’s plenty of time for that.
Will you pose our baby?
No. I work without staged poses, baskets and props. Your baby lies wherever they usually lie: in your arms, in bed or on the blanket. And if they need to lie differently, you move them.
Do you use flash?
No, never with babies and newborns. I photograph with the daylight from the window; it’s more pleasant for your baby and looks more natural.
What should we wear for the baby shoot?
What you like to wear at home, just a bit more understated: colours that complement each other without being identical, and no large logos. For the little ones, a simple bodysuit or their favourite blanket will do.
Do we need to tidy up first?
Not the whole place, just the corners where we’ll be photographing, usually the sofa, the bed and the spot by the window. And it’s completely fine if you can tell a baby lives here.
Can siblings, grandparents or the dog be in the photos too?
Of course, they’re part of the family. Big brothers and sisters holding the baby often make the loveliest pictures.
How many photos do we get?
Around 30 to 60 finished photos per hour. I take care of the selection: I weed out duplicates and blurry shots, and all the others get their own individual edit.
When do we get the photos?
After two to three weeks, in your own password-protected online gallery, in full size to download. I don’t hand over the unedited raw files (RAW).
Do you travel outside Heidelberg too?
Yes, throughout the Rhine-Neckar region. Travel is added depending on the distance.
Will you show photos of our baby on your website?
Only if you explicitly agree, and that goes for Instagram too. I never show pictures of babies and children without your permission.
Fancy a shoot with your baby?
Send me an email: how old your baby is or when they’re due, where you live and when suits you.
Wedding photographer in Heidelberg · Family photographer in Heidelberg · Couple shoots in Heidelberg · All projects: Photography