6 month milestone photos are one of my favorite ways to document a baby’s first year. One of the biggest surprises for new parents is just how quickly babies change during those first twelve months. Those sleepy newborn days quickly turn into smiles, rolling, grabbing tiny toes, and big belly laughs.

As a Wisconsin baby photographer, one question I hear all the time is:

“When should we schedule milestone photos?”

6 Month Milestone Photos Is the Perfect Age

While every stage is worth remembering, six months is one of my favorite ages to photograph. Babies are happy, expressive, and full of personality, making it the perfect time to preserve this special season before they become constantly on the move.

Why Six Months Is the Perfect Age for Milestone Photos

Around six months, babies have changed so much since their newborn session.

At this age, many babies are:

• Smiling constantly
• Laughing and interacting
• Rolling over
• Beginning to sit with little or no support
• Discovering their toes
• Making adorable facial expressions
• Showing their unique personalities

Unlike one-year-olds, most six-month-olds aren’t trying to crawl out of every setup, making for a relaxed session with lots of natural smiles.

What Happens During a 6 Month Milestone Session?

My milestone sessions are designed to be simple, timeless, and completely focused on your baby.

Rather than elaborate props or trendy themes, I use soft neutral tones that keep the attention exactly where it belongs—on your little one.

During a typical session we’ll capture:

• Smiling portraits
• Tummy time
• Rolling milestones
• Tiny fingers and toes
• Natural expressions
• Simple outfit changes
• Parent interaction if you’d like to be included

Every session is relaxed and follows your baby’s mood.

Capturing Your Baby’s Personality

One of my favorite things about photographing six-month-olds is watching their personalities begin to shine.

Some babies spend the entire session giggling.

Others carefully study everything happening around them with wide curious eyes.

Every expression tells part of your baby’s story.

Whether they’re grabbing your finger, laughing at peek-a-boo, or proudly showing off those adorable baby rolls, these are the moments parents never want to forget.

Timeless Milestone Photography

Years from now, I don’t want your photographs to feel dated.

That’s why my studio focuses on clean white backgrounds, cozy textures, and neutral styling that allows your baby to remain the center of every image.

Simple portraits age beautifully and become heirlooms your family will treasure for decades.

When Should You Book a 6 Month Milestone Session?

I recommend reserving your milestone session when your baby is between five and six months old.

This allows us to schedule your session when they’re sitting confidently—or just beginning to—without waiting until they’re constantly crawling away.

If you booked your newborn session with Finch & Mae Photography, your complimentary milestone session makes this stage even easier to celebrate.

How Much Does a 6 Month Milestone Session Cost?

One of the most common questions parents ask is about pricing.

My Milestone Sessions are designed to beautifully document your baby’s biggest milestones without requiring the time commitment of a full portrait session.

Milestone Session | $199 + tax

✔ 30-minute studio session
✔ One simple, timeless setup
✔ Access to the studio baby wardrobe
✔ 10 professionally edited digital images
✔ Ideal for babies around 4–10 months of age

Parents are also welcome to hop into a few photographs for an additional $99, creating beautiful images together during this special stage.

If you’re planning to document your baby’s entire first year, be sure to ask about my newborn and milestone options, including the complimentary six-month milestone session available with qualifying newborn bookings.

Serving Families Throughout Wisconsin

Finch & Mae Photography welcomes families from Rio, Sun Prairie, Madison, Beaver Dam, Columbus, Pardeeville, Portage, and surrounding Wisconsin communities.

Whether this is your baby’s first professional portrait session or part of documenting the entire first year, I’d love to help preserve these memories.

If you’re ready to schedule your baby’s milestone session, I’d love to welcome you into the studio.

Send us a message

Learn more about milestone sessions

View a milestone gallery

Smash Cake Saturdays are designed for busy parents who want beautiful first birthday portraits without the stress of planning an elaborate cake smash. Your baby only turns one once, and these sessions make it easy to celebrate this milestone with timeless photographs.

That’s exactly why I created Smash Cake Saturdays at Finch & Mae Photography.

These simple, stress-free sessions are designed for busy parents who want beautiful portraits of their baby’s first birthday without the overwhelm of planning a full cake smash setup.

What Are Smash Cake Saturdays?

Smash Cake Saturdays are short and sweet one-year portrait sessions held on select Saturdays in my Rio, Wisconsin studio.

Everything is designed to be simple:

• A clean, timeless white studio setup
• You bring the cake – need a baker? I have one.
• You bring the outfit – I am more than happy to help find the perfect outfit.
• A relaxed experience focused entirely on your baby
• All edited images included

No balloon arches. No character themes. No Pinterest pressure.

Just classic portraits that will still look beautiful years from now.

Why Parents Love Cake Smash Sessions

The first birthday is one of the biggest milestones of babyhood.

In just twelve short months, your little one has gone from a tiny newborn to a curious, personality-filled toddler.

A cake smash session captures:

• Those chubby baby cheeks
• Tiny fingers covered in frosting
• Big expressions and belly laughs
• Emerging personalities
• The final chapter of baby’s first year

Your baby’s images often become some of a family’s favorite photographs because they preserve a season that passes so quickly.

A Timeless Approach to Cake Smash Photography

At Finch & Mae Photography, I believe the focus should always be on your baby—not the decorations.

My cake smash sessions feature:

• Neutral, timeless styling
• Soft colors
• Clean backgrounds
• Natural expressions
• Minimal distractions

The result is a gallery that feels elegant and classic rather than trendy.

Years from now, you’ll still love these portraits because they center on what matters most: your child.

What’s Included?

Each Smash Cake Saturday session includes:
✔ Cake Smash Portraits
✔ All Edited Images Included

Serving Families Throughout Southern Wisconsin

Families travel from:

• Rio
• Columbus
• Pardeeville
• Portage
• Baraboo
• Sun Prairie
• DeForest
• Madison
• Beaver Dam
• Wisconsin Dells

and surrounding Wisconsin communities for milestone and first birthday photography.

Ready to Celebrate Your Baby’s First Birthday?

Interested in cake smash with one year portraits and parent shots? Learn more here.

If your little one is turning one soon, now is the perfect time to reserve your session.

Smash Cake Saturdays are offered on limited dates throughout the year and are designed to make celebrating your baby’s first birthday easy, beautiful, and memorable.

Whether your baby dives face-first into the frosting or cautiously pokes at the cake, every reaction is worth remembering.

Because they are only little for one year.

The Village Feature: Holistic Life Chiropractic & Boutique

Prenatal, Pediatric & Family Chiropractic Care Serving Columbus, Beaver Dam, & Beyond

Pregnancy, postpartum and early motherhood ask so much of woman’s body – and having the right support can make all of the difference.

That’s why I am so honored to introduce you to Holistic Life Chiropractic & Boutique, a family – centered chiropractic practice serving Columbus, Beaver Dam and surrounding Wisconsin communities.

Led by Dr. Janel Voelker – this practice offers thoughtful, thorough and deeply personalized care for each patient no matter if they are women, babies, children or the entire family. Janel has a special passion for supporting mothers through their pregnancy, labor and beyond into motherhood.

Meet The Heart Behind Holistic Life Chiropractic

Holistic Life Chiropractic & Boutique is owner and operated by Dr. Janel Voelker, D.C., C.A.C.C.P., a chiropractor with 19 years of experience with a deep calling to serve families.

Dr. Voelker’s passion lies in helping women so they can experience healthier, more natural pregnancies, smoother labors and to feel supported in their postpartum healing. This care naturally extends into serving their babies, children and families.

In April 2024, she and her family had purchased their Columbus, WI office – a space that is rich in meaning. The building was originally built out by her late brother and father over 25 years ago, and Dr. Voelker had worked in this special space before attending chiropractic school.

To preserve the legacy of the space while continuing to serve families that are close to home was incredibly important to her. Today, that legacy lives on through her practice.

What Holistic Life Chiropractic & Boutique Offers

Holistic Life Chiropractic provides full-body chiropractic care for the entire family, with specialized focus on women during their pregnancy, babies and children.

Services Include:

-Prenatal Chiropractic Care

-Pediatric Chiropractic Care

-Family Chiropractic Care

-Cranial Work

-Digestive And Extremity Assessments

-Muscle Testing

-High Quality Supplement Work

In their Columbus, WI office, they also offer:

-Pulsed Electromagnetic Frequency Therapy (PEMF)

-Zero Gravity Massage

In addition to chiropractic care, the space also includes a Christian – focused boutique, thoughtfully curated to support families beyond the adjustment table.

What Makes This Practice Unique

One of the things that patients consistently share is how thorough the care is at Holistic Life Chiropractic.

Dr. Voelker doesn’t just adjust one area of your body – she checks patients head to toe at every single visit.

This Includes:

-Full Spine

-Extremeties

-Digestion

-Cranial Work

-Nervous System Function

No two patients have the same adjustment, because no two bodies are the same. Every visit is tailored to the individual patient’s needs. By doing this, it allows the body to heal and function at its best.

Patients also deeply appreciate the practice’s knowledge and guidance around quality supplementation to support whole – body healing.

What Dr. Voelker Loves Most About Her Work

The answer is quite simple: the patients

Appointments are intentionally longer, patients become more than just a name on a schedule. Dr. Voelker and hear team truly know the families that they serve – their stores, their children and their wellbeing.

The connection is at the heart of everything that they do.

Something Most People Don’t Know

Dr. Voelker is not only a chiropractor – she is also a ChiroPastor.

She and her husband were called to open a church while living in Tomahawk, WI. Founding The Rock Church four years ago. Dr. Voelker served as head pastor for two years before they were called bvack to the Columbus area to care for her aging parents.

She was able to be with her father when he passed in May – an experience she considers one of the greatest gifts that God has given her. Although chiropractic care is her primary calling, she continues to preach, fill in at local churches and speaks at women’s conferences.

That depth of care, faith and life experiences flows naturally into how she serves families.

A Special Message For Local Moms

Dr. Voelker considers it to be a true honor to care for women during their pregnancy and to continue to care for their little ones.

She loves to witness the changes that chiropractic care can bring to a woman’s body – helping labor an delivery move more smoothly. As she often says, she works to ensure that the “portal of exit” is as open as possible.

Dr. Voelker holds Pediatric and Perinatal Certifications from the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association and is Webster Certified. Combined with 19 years of experience working alongside families, pregnant mothers and midwives, her care is both deeply informed and deeply compassionate.

How To Connect With Holistic Life Chiropractic & Boutique

Website: www.holisticlifechiro.com

Email: drvoelker@holisticlifechiro.com

Serving: Columbus, Beaver Dam and Beyond

From Finch & Mae

At Finch & Mae Photography, I believe that motherhood is meant to be supported – not navigated alone at home.

That’s why I created The Village, a series of blog that highlight local businesses that truly support families through pregnancy, postpartum and early childhood.

If you’re expecting and looking to document this season, I offer:

–Studio, In-Home and Outdoor Maternity Sessions

–Studio and In-Home Newborn Sessions

–Fresh 48 Hospital Sessions

–Baby Plan Memberships

–Milestone Sessions

–Cake Smash + One Year Portraits

Serving Sun Prairie, Madison, Columbus, Fond du Lac, Beaver Dam and surrounding Wisconsin areas.

Your Baby’s First Year Goes By Fast — These Photos Help You Remember Every Stage

Your baby grows more in their first year than any other time in their life. The changes feel huge — new expressions, new abilities, new little quirks that make their personality shine.

Milestone sessions with Finch & Mae Photography help you slow down and capture each chapter in a way that feels soft, sentimental, and truly timeless.

Most Popular Milestones to Document

4 Months
• Big smiles
• Tummy-time push-ups
• Bright, curious eyes

6–7 Months (Sitter Session)
• Sitting independently
• Giggly, expressive faces
• Sweet chubby thighs and arm rolls

9 Months
• Crawling, standing with help
• Playful personality
• Constant movement (but so fun!)

12 Months (First Birthday + Cake Smash)
• Baby’s final “baby” stage
• Walking, clapping, waving
• Minimal cake smash celebration in the studio

A Simple, Stress-Free Studio Experience

My Rio, WI studio is fully designed for babies and families — warm, cozy, and minimal so the focus stays on your child. Parents don’t need to bring anything; I have wardrobe, blankets, wooden toys, and everything needed for a cohesive gallery.

Perfect for Baby Plan Families

Milestones are included throughout the Finch & Mae Baby Plan, which covers your baby’s entire first year with flexible sessions and beautiful heirloom products.

Let’s Document Every Chapter of Their First Year

If you’re in Madison, Sun Prairie, Rio, or surrounding Wisconsin areas, I’d love to help you capture your baby’s story.
💛 Reach out here