Every new mom wants photos of their new baby right? And some moms don’t know where to start if they want professional photos done of their newest little one. Well look no further! Here are a few helpful tips when choosing a newborn photographer.
1. Is newborn safety important to you?
This is the number one rule in my opinion. PLEASE make sure the photographer you hire has experience and knows how to handle your newborn. A professional photographer will know how to pose a baby safely and correctly. Certain poses can restrict blood flow to feet and/or hands or restrict breathing if not done correctly and a professional should know how to avoid this! A beginner/hobbyist may be asked to do a certain pose and not know it is done as a composite. These types of images should never be attempted without a set of hands on baby at all times. Baby’s safety should be the number one priority of the photographer you choose and they need to have some experience and training. Don’t be afraid to ask about their training either! Before I even started doing newborns, I took two different hands-on workshops and hours of training to make sure every baby that comes into the studio is handled with the care they need.
2. Would you like the newborn photos to be done tin your home or in the studio?
There are benefits to both but ultimately it depends on what you’re wanting from the session. Are you looking for a lifestyle type session where the photographer captures the moments of you and your growing family in real life situations? These are typically done in your home with your own house as the backdrop. If you are looking for the perfectly posed photos of your baby, those can be done both in your home or the studio. The benefit to the studio is the photographer will have all props and things on hand and ready at a moments notice. The benefit of your home is you don’t need to leave and you can stay in your yoga pants all day 😉 It all depends on your physical comfort level, if you have other kiddos, how comfortable you are leaving with your newborn, etc. If you aren’t sure which is right for you, reach out and I would be happy to give you more information.
3. Do you value professional photography?
If you answered ‘No’ then you have a huge amount of photographers to choose from! Just ask for “Durango Newborn Photographer” in a Facebook group and I bet you will get a 100 responses 😉 These photographers range from professionals to hobbyists to beginners with an iPhone. Some of these photographers will offer a TON of photos for a small price tag but you don’t get that professional quality. Think of it as quantity over quality. If you answered ‘Yes’ and want those high quality images that you can print large with crystal clear clarity and hang proudly in your home then this will help narrow things down a bit. Yes, typically the professional photographers are more pricey. And they have good reason to be! They have worked hard to get the training they need and they want to offer high quality images and products that will last a lifetime to their clients. I would suggest you search Google, Facebook pages, and Instagram profiles and see who’s work you LOVE. Once you’ve done that then see about pricing. There are so many ways a photographer can price themselves at. They can offer product only, just digitals, a combo of both. Then there are session fees that can vary greatly for the time and talent of the photographer. All I can suggest is fall in love with their work and decide if you are okay with paying the price they are asking. 🙂
4. Newborn Safety!
Yes it’s that important that I mentioned it again for you. 😉
5. Hire me!
Just kidding… but not really. Ha! I would love to meet you! Leave a comment if you enjoyed this little bit of information!
JulieVery nicely done! And well said! You always do an amazing job as the baby whisperer!