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.

As a Wisconsin maternity photographer, I love creating timeless studio portraits that celebrate the beauty of motherhood. Pregnancy is a season that feels both fleeting and unforgettable, and these studio maternity sessions are designed to preserve this chapter in a natural and meaningful way. Many families choose to do our maternity newborn bundle to save money and have a cohesive beginning to their baby’s story.

These recent maternity portraits were photographed in my Rio, Wisconsin studio using soft natural light, neutral tones, and simple styling that allows the focus to remain exactly where it belongs—on the beauty of motherhood.

Why Hire a Wisconsin Maternity Photographer?

Many expecting mothers worry they need a dramatic gown, an elaborate location, or perfect weather for beautiful maternity photos. The truth is that some of the most meaningful images come from simplicity.

A studio maternity session offers:

• A comfortable, climate-controlled environment
• No weather concerns
• Access to client wardrobe options
• Timeless imagery that won’t feel dated years from now
• A relaxed experience focused entirely on you and your growing baby

The neutral backdrop and soft light create images that feel clean, elegant, and emotional without distracting from the connection between mother and baby.

Wisconsin Maternity Photos That Feel Like You

One of my favorite things about maternity photography is helping each mother choose a style that reflects her personality.

Some mothers love flowing dresses and a soft, romantic look. Others feel most comfortable in jeans and a simple top that shows off their growing belly. Both approaches are beautiful because they feel authentic.

The images from this session blend both styles beautifully:

• Casual maternity portraits in jeans
• Soft feminine maternity dresses
• Minimalist studio maternity photography
• Fine art black and white maternity images

The result is a gallery filled with variety while maintaining a cohesive, timeless feel.

The Perfect Time to Schedule Your Wisconsin Maternity Photos

The ideal time for a maternity photography session is typically between 28 and 34 weeks pregnant.

At this stage:

• Your belly has a beautiful shape
• You’re usually still comfortable moving between poses
• We have flexibility if baby decides to arrive early

Because many of my clients book both maternity and newborn photography together, I recommend reserving your session as early as your second trimester whenever possible.

Save When You Bundle Maternity and Newborn Photography

One of the most popular options for expecting families is my Maternity + Newborn Bundle.

Bundling allows you to document both the anticipation of pregnancy and those precious first days with your baby while enjoying additional savings.

These two sessions tell the complete story:

1. The excitement of waiting
2. The moment your baby arrives
3. The beginning of your family’s next chapter

There is something incredibly special about displaying maternity and newborn portraits side-by-side and seeing how quickly life changes.

Serving Expecting Families Throughout Wisconsin

My studio is located in Rio, Wisconsin and welcomes expecting mothers from:

• Madison
• Sun Prairie
• Columbus
• Beaver Dam
• Baraboo
• Pardeeville
• Deforest
• McFarland
• Verona
• Surrounding Wisconsin communities

Whether you’re planning your first baby or adding another little one to your family, maternity portraits are a beautiful way to pause and celebrate this season before it becomes a memory.

Ready to Book Your Wisconsin Maternity Session?

Learn more about newborn sessions.

View milestone session information.

If you’re expecting and would love timeless studio maternity portraits, now is the perfect time to reserve your session.

Simple. Natural. Beautiful.

Because motherhood deserves to be remembered.

If you’re looking for a Madison maternity and newborn photographer, a maternity and newborn bundle is one of the best ways to document your baby’s first year.
As a mama of three, I can tell you that pregnancy has a way of feeling both incredibly long and unbelievably short.

One moment you’re counting down the weeks until you meet your baby, and the next you’re holding them in your arms, changing diapers, getting up for late night feeds and wondering where the time went.

At Finch & Mae Studio, one of the most popular ways families document this season is through our Bump to Baby Bundle — combining both maternity and newborn portraits into one seamless experience.

Families who reserve both sessions receive:

✓ $100 Off
✓ A Complimentary 6-Month Milestone Session

Because your story doesn’t end when your baby arrives.

Madison Maternity Photographer Capturing the Beginning

Your maternity session celebrates the anticipation, excitement, and love that already exists before your baby is born.

Whether you choose a studio maternity session with clean, timeless styling or a relaxed outdoor session, these images become the first chapter of your baby’s story.

As a maternity photographer serving Madison, Sun Prairie, Baraboo, Beaver Dam, Columbus, and surrounding Wisconsin communities, I focus on creating portraits that feel elegant, natural, and connected.

As a Madison maternity and newborn photographer, I love helping families preserve every stage from pregnancy through baby’s first year.

What to Expect During Your Maternity Session

• Access to the studio wardrobe
• Guidance with posing from start to finish
• Family and partner portraits included
• A relaxed, stress-free experience
• Timeless editing that won’t feel trendy years from now

Newborn Photography Designed to Be Easy for Parents

Once your little one arrives, your newborn session captures all the tiny details that change far too quickly.

The sleepy stretches.

The curled-up toes.

The way they fit perfectly in your arms.

Our studio newborn sessions are intentionally simple and baby-led, allowing parents to relax while every detail is taken care of.

Why Parents Love Studio Newborn Sessions

• Wraps, props, and accessories are provided
• Family and sibling portraits
• A warm, comfortable studio environment
• Flexible scheduling around your due date
• A timeless style focused on your baby, not trends

Don’t Skip the Milestones

One of the biggest things parents tell me?

“I can’t believe how fast it went.”

That is exactly why this promotion includes a complimentary 6-month milestone session.

Six months is one of the sweetest ages to photograph. Babies are often sitting, smiling, laughing, and showing their personalities long before their first birthday.

The combination of maternity, newborn, and six-month portraits creates a beautiful collection that tells a complete story of your baby’s first year.

The Benefits of Booking a Maternity and Newborn Bundle

When you reserve both sessions together, you receive:

• $100 savings
• Priority scheduling
• Consistent editing and styling across sessions
• A complimentary 6-month milestone session
• A complete story from pregnancy through baby’s first year

Rather than piecing together memories later, you’ll have a cohesive collection that documents every stage.

Working with a Madison maternity and newborn photographer ensures your images feel cohesive from maternity through milestone portraits.

Serving Madison and Southern Wisconsin Families

Finch & Mae Studio proudly serves families throughout:

• Madison
• Sun Prairie
• Deforest
• McFarland
• Columbus
• Beaver Dam
• Baraboo
• Rio
• Pardeeville
• Surrounding Southern Wisconsin communities

If you’re expecting and would love timeless portraits that document your journey from bump to baby, now is the perfect time to reserve your due date.

Ready to Book Your Bump to Baby Bundle?

Learn more about my maternity photography sessions.

View milestone sessions for babies.

Reserve your maternity and newborn sessions today and receive $100 off plus a complimentary 6-month milestone session.

Because these moments deserve more than a phone photo.