The Easter photoshoot ideas that work best are the ones kids actually want to do: hunting for eggs in the set, wearing bunny ears, carrying a basket that is slightly too big, hopping like rabbits. Many studio photographers bring the eggs, tulips, baskets and spring accessories, and you bring pastel outfits. Here are ideas matched to your child's age, plus what to wear and how to keep little ones happy.
What an Easter set looks like
A typical Easter set is a light, springtime scene with flowers, baskets, eggs and soft pastel details, plus accessories like bunny ears. It is bright and fresh after a long winter, and it works for babies through big kids, for siblings and for the whole family.
Look for a photographer whose profile shows an Easter set, and check whether the backdrop and accessories are included. You bring outfits, and any personal items you want in the photos, like a basket a grandparent gave your child or eggs you decorated together at home.
Ideas by age
Babies, before sitting
Young babies photograph best close and low:
- lying on a soft blanket surrounded by pastel eggs, with a parent within arm's reach
- held in a parent's arms with tulips soft in the foreground
- tiny feet beside a single egg, a close-up detail parents love
- a small knit bunny-ear hat, if your baby tolerates it
A careful photographer never balances a young baby in a basket or on anything raised. For babies, the safest props are blankets and a parent's arms.
Sitters, around six to nine months
This is a lovely age for Easter. Babies sit with a little support, grab things and laugh easily.
- sitting on the floor next to a basket, reaching in for an egg
- holding a soft egg with both hands, looking very serious about it
- bunny ears on, with a sibling or parent beside them
- sitting inside a low, sturdy basket on the floor, with a parent's hand right there out of frame
There is more on why this age is so photogenic in our post on six-month sitter sessions.
Toddlers
Toddlers need jobs, not poses.
- The egg hunt. Eggs are placed around the set, and your toddler finds them and drops them in a basket. Instant concentration, real expressions.
- The basket carry. A basket slightly too big for them, held with both hands, walking toward a parent.
- Bunny ears on, bunny ears off. A game that turns into laughter within seconds.
- Peeking. Hiding behind the flowers and popping out.
- Smelling the tulips. A big, exaggerated sniff, often followed by a sneeze or a giggle.
If you have a toddler, read Toddler Photoshoot Tips From Two Photographers before the session.
Preschoolers and big kids
Older kids can follow a playful idea and enjoy it.
- Hopping like bunnies. The photographer takes a fast burst and catches them mid-air.
- The egg reveal. Each child holds an egg up to one eye, then lowers it with a funny face.
- Decorated eggs. Bring hard-boiled eggs you decorated together at home, and let them show off their favorite.
- The basket swap. Siblings trade baskets and pretend to argue about who has more eggs.
- The bunny whisper. One child, in bunny ears, whispers a secret to a sibling.
Ideas for siblings and families
- Siblings in a row, oldest to youngest, each holding one egg.
- The shared basket, carried together between two kids.
- Big kid helping little one, handing eggs to a baby or toddler.
- The family on the floor, parents sitting with kids on laps and baskets around them.
- Parents in bunny ears. Kids love seeing their parents being silly, and their reactions are always real.
- Grandparents and grandkids, sitting together with a basket between them.
Our siblings photoshoot ideas have more prompts that work in any set.
Pastel outfits that work
An Easter set is soft and colorful, so outfits should be gentle and fresh rather than bright.
Palettes
- Lavender, cream and soft gray
- Mint, butter yellow and white
- Blush pink, sky blue and oatmeal
- Sage green and cream, for families who want something calmer than pastels
Choose two or three colors and one neutral, and spread them across the family. Coordinate, do not match.
Fabrics and details
- cotton, linen, light knits and soft cardigans
- one small floral print, at most, on one person
- white or cream tights for little ones, clean simple shoes for everyone
- no neon, no logos, no big characters
For the full version of this color advice, read Family Photo Outfits: The Color Guide.
Timing and keeping it calm
Easter moves every year, falling anywhere from late March to late April, so check this year's date first.
- Book two to four weeks ahead of when you want the photos. Check the photographer's delivery time on their profile so there is room to share the photos before Easter or print one for the grandparents.
- Book after a nap for babies and toddlers, and feed them first.
- Chocolate goes last. Chocolate eggs are a great final photo and a terrible first one. Save them for the end, after the clean-outfit shots.
- Bring a spare top for the youngest child.
If you love the spring look but want it to work beyond the holiday itself, our post on spring family photos in the studio covers sessions from March to May. To see how a full session might run, read A Sample Session: Easter Set With Toddlers.
Quick answers
What age is best for an Easter photoshoot?
Every age works, but six months to three years is especially sweet: sitters reaching for eggs and toddlers hunting for them give you real, joyful expressions.
Which session should we book for Easter photos?
A holiday mini session covers one themed set in about 20 to 30 minutes and often runs $150 to $350 in NYC. For toddlers who need warm-up time, or to add a second backdrop, choose a longer family session. Profiles show real prices and session lengths.
Do we need to bring Easter props?
Often not. Many photographers include the set's backdrop and accessories such as eggs, baskets and bunny ears. Check the profile, and bring personal items only if you want them, like eggs you decorated at home.
Find a photographer
Browse holiday photographers in NYC and Long Island, look for a profile with an Easter set, and tell them your kids' ages when you book.