As a new parent, I could rarely resist the opportunity to turn any occasion into an impromptu photo shoot. Easter, Valentine’s Day, Christmas – no holiday was safe from dressing my little boy in an adorable outfit with a matching background and looking back, I’m so glad I did.
Whether you opt for professional photos or go the DIY photography route, St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, which means it’s time to break out the photo props and take some great photos of your cute little leprechaun!
1. Magical landmark
If you like the idea of monthly milestone photos, March is the perfect time to break out a cardboard and pot of gold to remind everyone what a treasure your baby is.
2. Cute clover
Who said you need a four-leaf clover to be the luckiest parent? The Dollar Store is a great place to find fun props like gold coins, cute ribbons and shamrocks to decorate any backdrop for your baby photo shoot.
3. So One-derful!
Celebrate your baby’s first birthday in leprechaun style with a sweet outfit from sites like Etsy and Amazon, or DIY your own with inspiration from Pinterest.
4. Lucky Cake Smash
The only thing better than a first birthday cake smash is when it falls on the luckiest day of the year! Grab a white jaw and befriend someone with a Cricut to customize your kid’s outfit (or find something cute online). Add some balloons and shoot this camera.
5. Lucky boy
If you’re someone who plans to organize monthly baby shoots, a letter might just become your best friend. Adding a cute custom message can help you keep track of the date and occasion when you look back a few years down the line (in case the leprechaun hat didn’t give it away). Can’t think of anything good to write? Check out this article for some inspiration.
6. Charming Bow
There’s something about a big headpiece for newborn photos that’s impossible to resist. Adding the St. Patrick’s Day decor makes this photo *chef’s kiss*.
7. Cereal sink
Fill your baby’s sink or bathtub with Lucky Charms and you have breakfast and your photography covered.
8. Lucky Charm Rainbow
Don’t have the materials to make a ROYGBIV rainbow for your backdrop? No problem. Think outside the (cereal) box and make your own Lucky Charms rainbow!
9. Charms & Fingers
No baby photoshoot would be complete without a shot of their youthful toes. Make sure you capture your baby’s cuteness from every angle!
10. Under the Rainbow
Surprise! It turns out that sometimes there is treasure both ends of the rainbow. Using fabric, tulle or plastic tablecloths are all creative ways to DIY the perfect rainbow arch.
11. Rainbow Gold
If you’ve got a blanket with a rainbow kicking around, spread it out, dress up your baby in their shamrock best, sprinkle some chocolate coins around them and you’ll have a sweet photo faster than you can say “One Shamrock Shake, Please .”
12. Pot o’ Gold
If you’re not afraid to spend a little extra time in the props department, grab your glue gun and some gold coins and get gluing. See if you can get hold of a cauldron left over from Halloween (or try your luck on Amazon) and you have the perfect Pot ‘O Gold!
13. Lucky star
The great thing about St. Patrick’s Day photos is that you can pull almost any green outfit from your baby’s closet and it will complement your theme. This, combined with a simple white backdrop and some lucky letter balloons, means a photo shoot win.
14. Green and Gold
A tried and true way to entertain a baby until you can put a smile on their face is to surround them with balloons. It’s an added bonus that it makes for a super cute photo!
15. Three Times a Charm
Aim for cute photo overload with a sweet brother photo with photo booth props from places like Target, the Dollar Store, or Amazon. If you can get all three kids to look into your lens and smile, you should probably get yourself a lottery ticket.
16. I make my own luck
If it’s warm enough in your area, try setting up your shoot outside. You never know when you might find a sneaky leprechaun tiptoeing around your wish!
17. Lucky Clover
Leprechaun-green might not be your favorite shade, and that’s okay. More neutral tones, such as sage green, make for a beautiful photo, especially when paired with some shamrock in the same shade.
18. Top O’ The Mornin’
I’m not sure if there’s anything cuter on the planet than a baby with a leprechaun beard, so if you’ve been on the fence about ordering a full leprechaun, let this be your cue to do so.
19. Shirtless Clover
I don’t know what it is about babies, but it seems the less clothes they wear, the happier they are. If that sounds like your little one, throw some shiny shamrocks outside, grab a green bow and call it a day—you’ll probably get some of the best smiles that way!
20. Leprechaun hat
Candid photos often end up being some of the best of any photo shoot. Give your baby plenty of props to play with (like this giant leprechaun hat) and get ready to capture what happens next.
21. Cup of Tea
St. Patrick’s Day tea party, anyone? Balloon banners are relatively easy to make yourself. Instructions can be found with a quick Google search and the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive. Set out some green treats, invite your tea party guests to wear their favorite shades of green, and get ready for some adorable candid shots.
22. Wear the bow tie
No bow tie too big, no baby too small! Baby photos are always fun, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get in the picture once in a while! Try some matching clothes or accessories to match it (and show how teenage your baby is compared to you!)
23. Green & Gold Bling
One day they’ll probably dig through your jewelry box, but for now, let your baby relax with all the cheap green beads and trinkets you can find.
24. Who is lucky?
Green outfit? Control. Cute statement onesie? Control. Gold coins? Control. Trefoil? Control. Adorable baby? Double check.
What do I need for a DIY St. Patrick’s Day photo shoot?
Honestly, if you have a baby, a camera, and something green, your St. Patrick’s Day photo shoot is good. Having props or background images like rainbows, gold coins, shamrocks, balloons and leprechaun gear like hats, shoes and beards can really help you achieve the themed look you want. Throw in a letter board with a quirky quote and you’re good to go!
You’ll likely get the best photos of your babies and toddlers if they’ve eaten fairly recently, aren’t close to nap time, don’t have major distractions, and have the room at a comfortable temperature (especially for babies in onesies or diapers). Good luck and don’t forget – I want to see the results in the comments!
See also: 240 seasonal captions for baby photos and stationery
