from 10 to 15 days
Newborn session
In the first 10 to 15 days of life, ideally within the first 10. The session takes place in the morning, while sleep is deepest.
How it works
Little Stories by Zitoli
Family photos and portraits of children
All together, in the studio, without posing
I photograph families at Studio Zitoli in Trani, at Via Umberto 230: parents with children, and grandparents when they come along. The session follows the little ones' pace, so do expect breaks for snacks and nappy changes.
How a family photography session works
We meet in the studio, I bring you together and give you something to do: holding each other, walking around the room. I move around you and photograph as it happens. There are shots where you all look at the camera, but only a few.
There's a practical reason for this. With a small child a pose holds for only a few seconds, and a session that depends on those seconds is over before it starts. Play, on the other hand, lasts as long as the session does.
In the studio there's the tub, the rope baskets, the wool blankets and the teddy bears you see in the photos further down. They're there for a reason: they give the children something to hold while I work.
Where family photos are taken
In the studio, at Via Umberto 230 in Trani. It's Studio Zitoli, the same studio where Luciano Zitoli, who photographs weddings, and Nicola Curci also work: the brand carries the line «photographers for generations».
In the studio the light doesn't change from one hour to the next, and the weather outside doesn't matter. With a small child this matters more than it seems: the session can stop and start again without the final photos looking like they're from another day.
From Bari it's about thirty minutes by car; from Barletta, Bisceglie, Andria, Molfetta and Corato, much less. For those coming from the provincial capital there's a dedicated page with directions, the newborn session for those living in Bari. My story and the studio's are instead on the Alessia Zitoli page.
How a session with small children works
The child sets the pace. There's no fixed schedule: if halfway through the session they're hungry, we stop to eat; if they cry, we pause and pick up again later. The breaks are part of the session.
I don't ask children to smile. A smile on command produces that squinting grimace you recognise from school photos. Making them laugh at something happening in the room takes more time, and comes out better.
With a newborn just days old in your arms the pace changes again: we work in the morning, with long pauses, while they sleep. This is the newborn photography session, done in the first 10 to 15 days of life.
At what age to photograph children
The portrait of everyone together can be done whenever you like. Sessions dedicated to the child, however, have a right moment, and each stage doesn't last long.
the first few months
The baby
Not sitting up yet, but focusing on you and responding to voices. These are different photos from the first days: in those, they were asleep.
sitting up alone
The sitting child
Holds the position without support and can be photographed up close, inside the basket or the tub, with a soft toy in hand.
from 8 months to 2 years
Smash cake
The first birthday with the cake. The best time is between 11 and 18 months, when they can sit up alone and use their hands.
How it works
all year round
The whole family
The portrait of everyone together has no window: it's done whenever you like. A larger group needs more time, so it's best to mention it when you set the date.
How it worksThese windows come from experience, not fixed rules: if your baby already has a few extra days, write to me anyway and we will see what we can do.
Photos of babies, in the first few months
Not sitting up yet: looking at the camera, following voices and beginning to respond. These are different photos from the first days, when they were asleep.
Photos of children sitting up alone
From when they can hold the position without support, they can be photographed up close: in the basket or the tub, with a soft toy in hand.
What to wear for a family photography session
Choose two or three colours and keep everyone within them. Plain, solid colours that go well together are enough, with no writing and no characters printed on tops.
Warm tones and neutrals work well: beige, off white, denim, sage green, rust. Black on the whole family turns everyone into a single dark shape, and thin stripes vibrate when the photo is printed large.
Bring a change of clothes for the children. Something always happens in the half hour before leaving the house, and with a change of clothes in your bag it stops being a problem.
When to book a family portrait
Whenever you like: the family portrait doesn't have a window like the newborn session or the smash cake. The time of year when people in Italy search most for a family photographer is between November and December.
To have it printed by December, autumn is the time to get in touch: we set the date, and you choose the format at your leisure once you see the photos.
On formats and frames I've written a separate page: albums, prints and frames.
Christmas mini sessions
Every autumn I set up a Christmas set in the studio: the illuminated tree, the letterbox for Father Christmas, the wooden toys. Newborns come through it, children writing their letters, whole families and dogs too. Dates fill up quickly, because the set only stays up for that period.
What the session includes
The session is the time together, the selection and the postproduction of the delivered images.
What you choose afterwards is decided once you see the photos: high resolution files, prints, the album.
Message me on WhatsApp as soon as you have a time frame in mind, and I'll send you the available dates and the quote. It's worth asking before booking.
Other sessions for children
The other sessions available in the studio, each with its own window. For parties at home or in a venue there's the page on children's birthdays.
Frequently asked questions
At what age can children be photographed?
At any age, but each stage has its own session. The newborn session is done in the first 10 to 15 days of life, ideally within the first 10. Then come the months when the baby isn't sitting up yet, the months when they're sitting up alone, and the smash cake from 8 months to 2 years. The portrait of the whole family together can be done whenever you like.
My child won't stay still for a second, will the photos turn out badly?
No, and that's exactly why they turn out well. I don't ask children to stay still and I don't ask them to smile: I let them move and photograph as it happens. The photos with a forced smile aren't the ones you'll take home. If your child runs around the room, I follow them and keep photographing.
Can we bring the grandparents too?
Yes. Let me know when we set the date, so I can prepare the space and the light for a larger group. The same goes for brothers and sisters. A larger group needs more time, so we'll choose the time together when you get in touch: the studio is at Via Umberto 230 in Trani.
How do I ask for a quote for a family session?
Just message me on WhatsApp with the children's ages and the time frame you have in mind. The quote keeps two items separate: the session, which includes the time together, the selection and the postproduction of the delivered images, and what you choose afterwards from files, prints and albums.
Where are the photos taken, and how long does it take from Bari?
In the studio, at Via Umberto 230 in Trani. From Bari it's about thirty minutes by car; from Barletta, Bisceglie, Andria, Molfetta and Corato, much less. Anyone coming from further away can let me know when we set the time: we'll choose a moment in the day that works for the journey and for the children's naps.
Book a family portrait
Message me on WhatsApp with the children's ages and the time frame you have in mind. I'll reply with the available dates and the quote, and I'll ask you a few questions about the children: a session like this is prepared in advance.
Tell me what you need
I answer personally. If you prefer, message me directly on WhatsApp: it is the fastest way.