Tips for Baby Pumpkin Photos

It’s pumpkin season. Porches are decked out and pumpkin patches are quickly becoming picked over. If you have a little one, consider finding a big pumpkin this week and taking a pumpkin baby photo with him or her. This darling photo captures the season and their tiny size, and it will be something you will treasure for years to come.

I have three kids and have taken baby pumpkin photos with each of them before their first Halloween. We pull the photos out every October and they always bring such delight. If you have a little pumpkin you want to photograph this year, by all means do it!

Here are my tips for taking adorable baby pumpkin photos:

Hollow out the pumpkin out the day before: Don’t clean out the pumpkin and then put the baby right in it. Give the pumpkin some time to dry out by cleaning it out a day ahead of when you plan to take the photos.

Cut the top big enough for your baby: You want to ensure your baby will fit in the pumpkin, so be sure to make a big enough hole on the top. That said, don’t cut so much off the pumpkin that it ends up looking more like a bowl than a pumpkin.

Keep the pumpkin in the house: Don’t leave the pumpkin outside because that will make it cold for your baby to sit in.

Wash the outside of the pumpkin: You don’t want any dirt on your pumpkin, so be sure to clean the outside well.

Line the pumpkin: Use small hand towels or receiving blankets to make the pumpkin cozy. Depending on the depth of your pumpkin, you also might need a blanket or two on the bottom to sit your baby higher in the pumpkin. (You can see the difference in my pictures when I added another blanket under Ezra’s bottom.)

Consider the background: Take advantage of the beautiful fall colors by positioning your pumpkin in a beautiful outdoor setting. Look for fallen leaves and beautiful trees for your setting. That said, the landscape doesn’t need to be grandiose. My photos this year were taken on a small patch of land along the side of the road in our neighborhood.

Take the photo during a golden hour: You want to avoid harsh light, so taking the photo in the early morning or before sunset will ensure beautiful light for your photos.

Add a hat or headband: If possible, get a pumpkin hat or headband for your baby. This simple accessory will add a lot to the photo. (I found a hat this year at Gymboree for Ezra. For Adeline, I found a headband in the Target dollar spot.)

Get help: This is not a photo to take by yourself. Have a friend or family member assist with the photo by getting your baby’s attention so you can focus on capturing the photo. Since Matthew was out of town, I asked a friend to join me. She got so many big smiles out of Ezra that I could not have gotten from behind the camera.

Have a rattle: Be sure to have some sort of toy that will draw your baby’s attention. We had a small rattle that really helped get Ezra to look up and smile for the photos. It’s also helpful for if they cry at first!

Most importantly, have fun! This little photo session takes just a few minutes, but chances are, it is something you won’t ever forget from your child’s first year.