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How to Take Beautiful and Consistent Monthly Milestone Flag Photos

Capturing your baby’s growth with milestone flag photos is a wonderful way to document their first year. These monthly snapshots become cherished keepsakes, showing just how much they’ve changed in such a short time. If you’re making your own set of milestone flags, a simple, handmade touch can add even more meaning to the tradition. My Quilted Baby Milestone Flags pattern is a great option for creating a custom set, and if you’re new to foundation paper piecing (FPP) or worried about making them quickly, my blog post on speedy and approachable FPP techniques can help you get started with confidence. After a year of taking milestone photos, I’ve gathered a few helpful tips to make the process smoother and more enjoyable. And if you’re using a pre-made set or an alternative, these tips will still help you capture beautiful and cohesive memories.

 

1. Coordinate Colors and Themes with the Milestone Flag
One thing I wish I had thought more about from the start was how my baby’s outfits would complement the milestone flags. By the second month, I started being more intentional, choosing a mix of neutral tones, stripes, and animal prints that paired well with the bright colors of the flags. Planning ahead will help create a more cohesive look across all the photos, making them feel like part of a thoughtfully curated series. Some fun theme ideas to consider include animal prints for a playful look, florals for a soft and delicate feel, bold primary colors for a vibrant and energetic vibe, or even monochrome outfits for a minimalist aesthetic. Choosing a consistent theme across all the milestone photos will create a visually stunning and meaningful keepsake.

2. Use a Scale Reference for Perspective
Adding a consistent element, like a stuffed toy, can help put your baby’s growth into perspective. Each month, I placed the same koala toy next to my baby in every photo. This visual reference made it clear just how much he was growing month to month. The same concept applies to backgrounds—if you’re using a quilt, try to use the same one each time, or if you have a collection of quilts, rotate them for a fun variation while keeping a familiar theme.

Can you believe it? His koala toy was half the size of my baby at one month!

3. Stick to the Same Location and Lighting
To maintain consistency in colors and overall aesthetics, try to take your milestone photos at the same time of day in the same location. Natural light can vary based on the weather, so sometimes I had to take the photo a day or two later if it was too cloudy or if I forgot. Sticking to a routine for lighting and location helps ensure all the photos flow together beautifully when looking back on them as a complete set.

4. Be Prepared for Increasing Movement
When babies are newborns, they stay put. But as the months go on, they turn into little wiggle worms, making it harder to capture still milestone photos. Once my baby started rolling, crawling and getting more curious and grabbing the props, I had to get creative. Using a squeaky toy or something that made noise helped grab his attention and keep him in place. Sometimes, I’d play with a toy first to get him engaged, then quickly move it near my camera lens to capture his gaze. The key is to work with their movement rather than against it—make it fun and spontaneous!

And there goes the props... 

 

Taking monthly milestone photos is such a rewarding tradition, and with a little planning, you can create a beautiful and consistent series to look back on. From outfit choices and color coordination to lighting and managing a wiggly baby, these small considerations make a big difference. Most importantly, enjoy the process—because before you know it, that tiny baby will be a toddler, and you’ll be grateful to have these photos to cherish forever. To make your milestone photos even more special, consider using my Quilted Baby Milestone Flags pattern—it’s a beautiful way to add a handmade touch to your baby’s journey. Download the pattern here and start creating a keepsake you’ll treasure for years to come!