As a new parent, I could seldom resist the opportunity to turn any occasion into an impromptu photo shoot. Easter, Valentine’s Day, Christmas – no holiday was safe from me dressing up my baby boy in an adorable outfit with a backdrop to match, and looking back, I’m so glad I did.
Whether you’re opting for professional photos or prefer the DIY photoshoot route, St Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, which means it’s time to bust out the photo props and capture some great photos of your cute little leprechaun!
1. Magic Milestone
If you love the idea of monthly milestone photos, March is the perfect time to bust out a letterboard and a pot of gold to remind everyone just what a treasure your baby is.
2. Cute Clover
Who says you need a four-leaf clover to be the luckiest parent around? The Dollar Store is a great spot to find fun props like gold coins, cute headbands, and clover to dress up any backdrop for your baby’s photoshoot.
3. So One-derful!
Celebrate your baby’s first birthday in leprechaun style with a sweet little outfit from websites 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 onesie and make friends with someone with a Cricut to customize your birthday kid’s outfit (or find something cute online). Add a few balloons and get that camera snappin’.
5. Lucky Boy
If you’re someone who plans on staging monthly baby photoshoots, a letterboard might just become your best friend. Adding a cute custom message can help you to keep track of the date and occasion when you look back a couple years down the road (in case the leprechaun hat didn’t give it away). Can’t think of something good to write? Check out this article for some inspiration.
6. Charming Bow
There’s something about an oversized headpiece for newborn photos that’s impossible to resist. Adding your St. Patrick’s day decor makes this photo op *chef’s kiss*.
7. Cereal Sink
Fill your sink or baby bath tub up with Lucky Charms and you’ve got breakfast and your photoshoot 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 rainbow out of Lucky Charms!
9. Charms & Toes
No baby photoshoot would be complete without a shot of their teeny toes. Make sure you capture your baby’s cuteness from every angle!
10. Under the Rainbow
Surprise! It turns out that sometimes there’s treasure on 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 your baby in their leprechaun best, sprinkle a few chocolate coins around them, and you’ll have a sweet photo op faster than you can say “One Shamrock Shake, please.”
12. Pot o’ Gold
If you’re not afraid to put in a little extra time in the props department, grab your glue gun and some gold coins and get stickin’. See if you can source a leftover cauldron from Halloween (or try your luck on Amazon) and you’ve got the perfect Pot ‘O Gold!
13. Lucky Star
The great thing about St. Patrick’s day photos is that you can grab just about any green outfit out of your baby’s closet, and it’ll compliment your theme. That, combined with a simple white backdrop and some Lucky letter balloons, spells a photo shoot win.
14. Green and Gold
One tried and true way to keep a baby entertained until you can get a smile out of them is to surround them with balloons. It’s an added bonus that it makes for a super cute photo op!
15. Three Times a Charm
Aim for cuteness overload with a sweet sibling photo complete with photo booth props from places like Target, the Dollar Store, or Amazon. If you can get all three kiddos to look in 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 your photo shoot up outside. You never know when you might find a sneaky leprechaun tiptoeing around your wishing well!
17. Lucky Clover
Leprechaun-green may not be your favorite shade, and that’s a-okay. More neutral tones, like sage green, make for a beautiful photo, especially when paired with some clover in the same hue.
18. Top O’ The Mornin’
I’m not sure if there’s anything on the planet cuter than a baby in a leprechaun beard, so if you were on the fence about ordering a full-on leprechaun getup, let this be your sign to go for it.
19. Shirtless Shamrock
I don’t know what it is about babies, but it seems like the less clothes they have on, the happier they are. If that sounds like your little one, throw a few shiny shamrocks out, grab a green bow and call it a day – you’ll probably get some of the best smiles this way!
20. Leprechaun Hat
Candid photos often end up being some of the best ones from any photo shoot batch. Give your baby lots of props to play with (like this gigantic leprechaun hat), and get ready to capture whatever happens next.
21. Cup o’ Tea
St. Patrick’s Day tea party, anyone? Balloon banners are relatively easy to make yourself. The instructions can be found in a quick Google search, and the materials are widely available and relatively inexpensive. Set out a few green treats, invite your tea party guests to wear their favorite shades of green and get ready for some adorable candid shots.
22. Bring on the Bowtie
No bowtie too big, no baby too small! Baby photos are always fun to look at, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t hop into the picture once in a while, too! Try some matching outfits or accessories to pull the whole thing together (and show just how teeny your baby is compared to you!)
23. Green & Gold Bling
One day they’ll probably be digging through your jewelry box, but for now, let your baby loose with all of the inexpensive green beads and baubles you can find.
24. Who’s Lucky?
Green outfit? Check. Cute statement onesie? Check. Gold coins? Check. Clover? Check. Adorable baby? Double check.
What Do I Need For A DIY St. Patrick’s Day-Themed Photo Shoot?
Honestly, if you’ve got a baby, a camera, and something green, your St. Patrick’s Day photo shoot is good to go. Having backdrop props or imagery like rainbows, gold coins, clover, balloons, and leprechaun gear like hats, shoes, and beards can really help you achieve the themed look you’re going for. Throw in a letter board with a quirky quote and you’re all set!
You’ll probably get the best photos from your babies and small children 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 wanna see the results in the comments!
Also check out: 240 Seasonal Captions for Baby Photos and Letterboards