Top 5 Tips For Choosing The Best Newborn Photographer
I’ve given the Top 5 Tips For Choosing The Best Newborn Photographer a lot of thought. It’s easy to fall in love with images, but difficult to know how you and the photographer will jive. Maternity and Newborn photography is very intimate by nature. It’s a delicate balance between the expecting couple and the person they are trusting to tell their story in photographs.
Here are the top 5 tips for choosing the best newborn photographer.
- Look for consistency. Your photographers images should be consistent across their portfolio. Generally speaking photographers will post their best images to their website. I encourage my clients to view a full newborn or maternity gallery, to get an idea what a full session looks and feels like. It also allows the client to get a better feel for my style and what they can expect from their session. You’re looking for colors, props, and poses, but also ask yourself how the images make you feel. That connection between their work and your heart is vital. That connection is the difference between liking your final gallery and loving your gallery.
2. Make sure you jive. This might seem like a no brainer, but it’s one of the most important qualities. In that hazy postpartum time, you will want to talk about your labor, delivery, and breast/bottle feeding. You will be tired, and bleeding, and uncomfortable. Your photographer should be someone who can come into your home and dish on their own experiences, or at the very least acknowledge how hard those first weeks are. I have built friendships with my clients based on our shared experiences. I find that it helps me tell their story in images and also anchors me to their families.
3. Two words: Baby Safety. The froggy pose might be the most popular image in newborn photography but it must be done correctly. That famous shot is a composite image and requires more than one set of hands. Your photographer should be able to handle your newborn expertly. Creating a gallery of images where your newborn is sleeping peacefully in seemingly impossible positions is my job, but making sure the baby is safe at all times during our session is the most important aspect of my job. Make sure your photographer stops for cuddles and feedings. Be sure to ask them their philosophy on baby safety, illness, or any other concerns you might have. I’ve had parents ask me for my vaccination records, and those of my own children too. No request is too big when you are handling precious new life.
4. Consultation. Make sure your photographer takes that time to consult with you regarding your maternity or newborn session. This can be done by phone or email. A consultation is the best way to get a clearer understanding about what’s included in your session and the flow of your session. It is during the consultation that I get to know my clients better and can suggest special shots and props specifically for their session. Each clients gallery will be the best representation of their family, it’s vital that we share ideas and come up with a game plan.
5. Pricing and Services. This is a sensitive subject, but it must be addressed. Any photographer worth their weight (so to speak) is going to be on the more expensive side. Of course this is relative depending on what you can afford, but as my mother would say, you pay for what you get. If you want magical images of your pregnant body or newborn baby, I would highly suggest you treat those images as an investment. There are multiple photographers who will charge you $100 for less than stellar images. Professional photographers work tirelessly on providing the best experience to their clients. We all start somewhere and everyone’s budgets are different, but consider that these images will be your best way to remember this fleeting time. It’s important to invest in your images and your family memories. Choose a photographer whose focus is on providing a stellar customer experience to you and whose life’s work is dedicated to their craft. Purchase beautiful prints and hang them in your home. Every time you walk past those images your heart will flutter- even on your worst days! Make sure that those images are the best representation of your family and this time in your lives by investing in your photographer.
If you follow these tips while selecting your photographer you’ll be surprised how easily you find your own photo style. If I can offer one more tip to you it is this, find a great photographer and grow with them. Over the years you will have a gallery of images that represent your family during this amazing time. It’s so very hard to take it all in as it’s happening, so once you find your keeper of time, hold on to tight!