Why Do You Want to Hire a Newborn Photographer?
Let’s start with why newborn photos are important to you. Sure, everyone loves their babies, and everyone knows “they’re only this little once.” But besides the obvious, why do you want newborn photos? Maybe you have close to zero photos from your childhood and don’t want the same for your kids. Maybe it took you multiple times and/or fertility treatments to bring this little bundle How To Choose a Baby Photographer of joy earth-side. Or possibly it’s that nothing in life has ever seemed more exciting, and you want to capture the joy through photos. I want to challenge you to really think through your reason for taking newborn photos. Every big decision starts with a why, what’s yours?
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How to Choose a Baby Photographer
Choosing a baby photographer is a significant decision. Your new baby is precious, and you want someone with the right experience and skills to capture those early moments beautifully and safely.
Different Types of Newborn Photographers
There are a few different types of How To Choose a Baby Photographer newborn photographers out there, but for the purpose How To Choose a Baby Photographer of this article, I’m going to cover the main two types of newborn photographers.
- Sleeping Baby Photographers
- These photographers are true artists with sleeping newborns. They can shape and mold the babies into the most beautiful and creative poses and scenes. They typically go through lots of training on how to pose newborns because it’s not as easy as they make it look. They usually have a studio where you go to them and they have props, outfits, and backgrounds available for use. Some of them include mom/dad/siblings in their images, and some specialize in baby-only portraiture. Sessions can take hours to only get a handful of images, and that’s okay! The few images you get will be beautiful portraits of your baby! These sessions also usually take place in the first few days after birth since the newer they are, the better they’ll pose.
- Lifestyle Newborn Photographers
- Usually, lifestyle newborn sessions are done in the home or yard, and always involve the full family. Siblings, fur babies, and parents are all part of the newborn photo session. Sessions are spent loving and snuggling the new bundle of joy. If the baby is happy to be set down, we will get a portrait of the newborn, but oftentimes the baby spends most of the session in his/her parents’ arms. We try to make this a special, relaxed time for the mom by handling her wardrobe and hair & makeup at home. That way she can soak up time with her new baby and be pampered. My lifestyle sessions typically last about 2 hours and we work at baby & mom’s pace. I usually schedule newborn sessions around the 2-week mark to allow baby and mom to adjust to their new life.
Lastly, I’ll add, within these two main categories are a multitude of editing styles. Every photographer has their personal How To Choose a Baby Photographer touch. For instance, I am a film photographer and all my images are edited with true colors and have a brighter feel to them while preserving the details. Make sure you are familiar with and like the style of the photographer you’re choosing.
How Do You Plan on Enjoying Your Newborn Photos?
What is your plan for the photos once you take them? Do you want a portrait on the wall, a birth announcement perhaps, or maybe a digital gallery to share on social media? Knowing what you want and why you want it before hiring a photographer is a great place to start! Families come to us for their newborn session because they know the newborn stage is wonderful and overwhelming. They know they won’t have the time or energy to print their photos and trust us to help them How To Choose a Baby Photographer create their baby’s first photo heirloom with them.
How Much Do Newborn Photographers Charge?
This is a big one and not something that can be simplified down to newborn photographs charge xx amount. It varies based on what How To Choose a Baby Photographer they offer, their training and longevity in business, are they a licensed business, are they insured, do they have a studio, the list goes on and on. I will say, newborn photography is an investment worth every penny. Even if your why is as simple as “they’re only little once,” I promise you that’s a good enough reason why, because trust me, they’re only little once. As a range, you will find newborn photographers from $200-$5000, with experience and market determining the price.
Top Tips to Think About When Choosing Your Newborn Photographer
- Do they have insurance? The photographer will be working with your baby. They absolutely 100% should be How To Choos e a Baby Photographer insured.
- Are they a licensed business? This goes along with insurance, photographers who have set up legal businesses are in it for the long How To Choose a Baby Photographer haul. They invest in their equipment and education to give the best to How To Choose a Baby Photographer you as their client. They aren’t just there to make a little side income, this is their full-time job and they will give the best to you and your baby.
- Do they provide what you need service-wise and are transparent with pricing? Whether that’s printed art or digital images. Make sure you know all the details before booking the session. Nothing should be a surprise on the backend.
- Do you go to them or do they go to you? Both have their advantages! Decide what’s best for you and your family when choosing a photographer.
- Make sure you’ve looked through their portfolio, blog, and social media. To see the consistency in their style and make sure it matches your aesthetic. Do not expect a photographer to change their editing style for you or you’ll be disappointed. If you don’t like their editing, they’re probably not the right photographer for you and would be happy to recommend someone who would fit better!
- Lastly, make sure you get on a call or video meet with them to see if you feel comfortable. The newborn days are messy, intimate, and personal. You’ll probably cry, breastfeed, walk around in your undies at some point during the session or bleed through your outfit…or do all of the above like I did during my first daughter’s newborn session! I can not stress enough, make sure you are comfortable with your photographer! You are letting them into one of the most personal times in your life. Oftentimes when you aren’t even letting family into that time. Be comfortable with them!
Choosing the Right Photographer
Now that you’ve thought through your why, have learned a little about the different types of newborn photographers, I hope you will be able to use this all info to find your perfect newborn photographer. There’s no shortage of talented newborn photographers who can turn these precious memories into works of art. Whatever you do, don’t miss the opportunity to document this How To Choose a Baby Photographer precious and fleeting time in your baby’s life.
If you’ve been looking for a lifestyle photographer who offers a luxury photography experience while creating timeless images and heirloom art for you as a nostalgic mom, I would love to connect with you and begin planning your dream session!
Tips for Choosing Your Newborn Photographer: Austin Newborn Photography
Choosing a newborn photographer is a daunting task. There are so many options in the Austin area and so many variables How To Choose a Baby Photographer to consider. And because the photos are really a piece of art, it’s a very subjective decision as well.
If you are looking for a newborn How To Choose a Baby Photographer photographer (or any kind for that matter), I want to How To Choose a Baby Photographer point out a few things that you may not have thought of that could help you with your decision-making.
Is the Safety of Your Newborn Baby Important to You?
PLEASE take caution when choosing a photographer for your newborn photos. An inexperienced photographer can take How To Choose a Baby Photographer family photos easily but if they don’t have experience posing newborns they could seriously injure your baby. Professional newborn photographers are trained in newborn safety and understand the limitations of certain poses and positions. They are knowledgeable of baby’s anatomy, reflexes, and circulation issues (how certain poses can restrict blood flow and breathing if not done correctly). Also, inexperienced photographers may try to replicate a pose they saw online and not even know that it was actually a composite photo (2 or more photos combined in Photoshop) and there were hands on the baby at all times.
Professional newborn photographers invest in education geared specifically for the safety of your newborn. Choose someone that knows what they are doing. Ask what type of training they’ve had. When I first started photographing newborns, I had already taken several hands-on workshops with other professional photographers and had done hours of research on proper posing. Only then did I start photographing newborns and I did 15 free, portfolio-building sessions which were more about learning proper camera angles and lighting to get the best images possible…I was not experimenting with how to pose the babies. Please don’t put your baby at risk!
Do You Want Posed Newborn Photos or Natural/Lifestyle Photos?
Most professional photographers will specialize in one or the other, mainly because that’s the type of photography they love to do. If you are searching for a fabulous lifestyle photographer, make sure to put that keyword in your web search (i.e., Austin lifestyle newborn photographer). Another good keyword for lifestyle photography is ‘natural light newborn photographer’ since they typically rely on sunlight as opposed to studio lighting. Likewise, you could narrow your search How To Choose a Baby Photographer with ‘Austin posed newborn photographer.’
Would You Like Your Photographer to Come to Your Home or Would You Like to Go to a Studio?
There are pros and cons to each option. Some photographers only do studio photography and some will do both. If you are looking for lifestyle photos, most likely you will want the photographer to come to your home, unless you want ‘staged’ lifestyle photos done in a studio or on location. But for posed photos, your decision will depend on a lot of issues like your physical comfort level, whether you have older children, if you mind traveling with your newborn, etc. If you aren’t sure which type is right for you, check out my next blog post ‘Should I Do a Home or Studio Newborn Session?’
Do You Value Professional Portraiture?
If your answer is “No, I just want pictures of my baby” then you have a plethora of photographers to choose from. If you go on a local Facebook group for moms, you will see daily posts asking for photographer recommendations and sometimes 100 people will respond! These photographers range How To Choose a Baby Photographer from professionals to people with iPhones that call themselves professionals.
Not joking…I saw it with my own eyes…and she was a WEDDING photographer! Can you imagine? 😂 The majority of these photographers will be part-time and may not have a business license (which, if they are accepting money for a service, is illegal…just saying…). These photographers compete on price and you will most likely get a LOT of photos for a small amount of money. It’s the whole ‘Quality vs. Quantity’ decision that you need to make.
If your answer is “Yes, I want high-quality portraits that I can print large and display in my home as well as view on my phone,” your options start to narrow down a bit. And yes, you are going to spend more money on a professional photographer. Professionals have business expenses and pay taxes and also need to make a living off of their salary. Get referrals from your friends, do a Google search for local newborn photographers and check out the reviews, and of course, check out their portfolios on their website. My suggestion would be to find 2 or 3 photographers online whose images you LOVE.
Then get a feel for the photographer’s personality by checking out his/her blog posts, Facebook posts, and Instagram posts. Who do you feel like you would ‘vibe’ with the most? Once you’ve done that, THEN look How To Choose a Baby Photographer at their pricing. If you try to compare professional photographers by price it’s going to be very difficult.
There is no standard package…some offer prints, or digitals, or combo packages, some have sitting fees and minimum purchases, some are all-inclusive, and so on, and so on, and so on. It will make your brain hurt to try to How To Choose a Baby Photographer compare them. Find someone who’s work you love and who’s vibe you vibe with, and then decide if you’re okay with their pricing and what How To Choose a Baby Photographer they offer.
My Last Tip is All About Safety Again. Why? Because It’s That Important!
Is your photographer up to date on their immunizations? Are they licensed and insured? Do they properly clean and sanitize their equipment and props? What kind of training do they have? How much experience do they have? These are all questions you should ask your potential photographer and all questions they shouldn’t hesitate to answer.
One More Tip – Pick Me.
Haha, just kidding… but not really. 🤗 No one probably How To Choose a Baby Photographer read this far anyways. 😂 If you did read this far, maybe drop a ‘like’ or a comment How To Choose a Baby Photographer below so I know you were here! By following these guidelines, you can find the perfect How To Choose a Baby Photographer baby photographer to capture your little one’s precious moments beautifully and safely.
Conclusion
Choosing the right baby photographer is a crucial decision that will help you capture and preserve the precious early moments of your newborn’s life. By understanding your reasons for wanting newborn photos, exploring different How To Choose a Baby Photographer types of photographers, and considering key factors like safety, style, and pricing, you can make an informed choice. Remember to prioritize your baby’s safety and comfort, and ensure that the photographer you choose aligns with your vision and values.
Read More: How To Choose a Baby Photographer
If you’re looking for a lifestyle photographer How To Choose a Baby Photographer who offers a luxury photography experience while creating timeless images and heirloom art, I would love to connect with you and begin How To Choose a Baby Photographer planning your dream session. Don’t miss the opportunity to document this precious and fleeting time in your baby’s life.
FAQs
Why do you want to hire a newborn photographer?
Reflect on why newborn photos are important to you. This could be due to a lack of childhood photos, the joy of parenthood, or other personal reasons. Every big decision starts with a why, what’s yours?
What are the different types of newborn photographers?
Sleeping Baby Photographers: Specialists How To Choose a Baby Photographer in posing sleeping newborns in a studio setting.
Lifestyle Newborn Photographers: Focus on capturing How To Choose a Baby Photographer natural moments in the home, involving the whole family.
How do you plan on enjo ying your newborn photos?
Consider how you want to use the photos, such as wall art, birth announcements, or digital galleries. Knowing what you want before hiring a photographer is a great place to start.
How much do newborn photographers charge?
Prices vary widely How To Choose a Baby Photographer based on experience, service offerings, and market. Expect to find photographers charging from $200 to $5000. Newborn photography is an investment worth every penny.
What should you consider when choosing a newborn photographer?
Ensure the photographer How To Choose a Baby Photographer is insured, licensed, and transparent about pricing. Consider their portfolio, style, and whether you feel comfortable with them. Safety is paramount, so ask about their training and experience with newborns.
