Baby books and photo albums are great, though we love how so many people are getting super creative in documenting their baby’s first year using photography. Still, “super creative” doesn’t have to mean “super hard” as you can tell from these inventive and adorable photo shoot ideas that are easy enough to manage every 30 days or so.

Chalkboard Baby Stats
J Davis Squared’s monthly baby photo, at top, takes the place of a lengthy baby book entry by putting all the necessary (and just plain cute) “stats” onto a chalkboard behind baby. (via Honest on Pinterest)

Months on a Chalkboard
Another way to use the chalk idea with more than one child? Just set up a comfy chair to document the growing-up that goes on month by month, as done here by The Letter B Photography. Love that these cuties are ready for the camera in just a diaper and a smile.

DIY Baby Age Tee
You can invest in those sets of 12 onesies emblazoned with a birth month, or, with a little Photoshop magic, a plain white onesie does the trick. Just follow Young House Love’s detailed tutorial for how to get the age, digitally, onto the photo.

Photograph baby on a desk calendar
Turn the page to another month and just plop your calendar girl–or boy–on top. These month by month baby photos from Imperfect are so darn sweet in black-and-white, plus the overhead angle is great for getting big eye contact and toothless grins. (via Ashley Ann Photography)

Age blocks for baby
Grab some age blocks from Tree by Kerri Lee and place them in front of your little one each month. The big trick will be keeping them out of her mouth (although that could end up cute too–don’t try to make everything so perfect). After the photoshoot, these blocks will look great on the nursery dresser as a sweet keepsake.

Start with a too-big outfit
How quickly they grow is charmingly evident if you use the same outfit, month after month. Erica’s Bloggity Blog monthly baby photos show her infant first swimming in fabric, then later bursting out of the seams. All it takes is a colorful 9-month snapsuit.

Use toy letters
Use all those little refrigerator magnet letters to spell out a simple monthly message as shown in Famille Summer Belle’s photo series. With a close-up shot on the face and a simple white background, there’s no need to worry about matching outfits to make this idea work. Just be sure to keep an eye on older babies with those letters, especially if they’re magnetic.

Show proportion with a big toy
Props are a great way to show how quickly a baby grows, as the Fresh Mommy Blog demonstrates with a simple toy giraffe propped up next to her baby. Just make sure to start with something big enough to make an impression.

Photographing multiples
Got twins, triplets or beyond? This trio from Caitlin’s Happy Heart are beyond adorable in coordinating onesies on bright swatches of fabric that alternate each month. Although after about six months, good luck keeping all those little bodies from wiggling out of the frame!

Do you have any clever ideas for documenting baby’s first year in photos? If so, please share them in the comments!