How To Find The Best Newborn Photographer
Choosing the right newborn photographer is an important task. You want to trust that the person you hire is going to do the best job at creating memories for your family. Whether you are a first time parent or a third time parent, you want to feel confident in your decision. In such a saturated market, many people these days can pick up a camera and start charging to take photos of your newborn. So you will want to do your research and conduct ‘interviews’ to find the perfect photographer for your needs.
Things to consider when hiring a newborn photographer
1. What experience do they have
Ask the newborn photographer how long they have been in business and how many newborns have they photographed. As this person is going to be handling your brand new baby you want to ensure they know what they are doing. What if baby has an accident or gets a little gassy? does the photographer know how to manage your baby in such incidences. What soothing techniques do they use to calm the baby down. Does the photographer run a legal business? Do they have business insurance and a business license? You want to ensure the person you hire is legitimate.
2. What training/safety courses have they taken
Newborn safety is incredibly important. If the photographer does not have safety precautions in place then you need to find someone else. Ask them is they have an assistant to help keep baby safe, ask what types of poses they do and if they are done safetly (for example the froggy pose should be done as a composite and not allowing baby to hold pose by themselves). Does the photographer have first aid, do they know how to identify if a newborn is in distress? Can they tell if a baby is feeling too hot or two cold? These are very important questions to ask as you want to make sure your baby is being handled with a great deal of care.
3. Where does the shoot take place?
Many photographers, especially when they are starting out will work out of their home or they will travel to you. You will want to take into consideration the location for the newborn shoot so that you can plan accordingly. If you are required to go to them, then how long will it take you to travel to them? If the newborn photo session is done in their home, do they have covid safety precautions in place, does their home contain animals (if you are allergic to cats and the photographer’s cat has been roaming around in the studio then it might not be the best place to go). Does the photographer work out a professional store front studio? If so is there ample parking close by so that you don’t have to walk down the street carrying your newborn. Is there stairs? many moms, especially c-section moms don’t want to be carrying their baby up or down a flight of stairs so ask the photographer how accessible their studio is.
4. How much does it cost and what do they include
The problem with the photography industry as a whole, is that someone can charge you $50 a session and someone can charge you $5000 a session. There is no common standard when it comes to pricing. So you will have to figure out your budget and what you are willing to spend on these memories of your newborn. Bare in mind that really experienced photographers will cost a lot more than someone just starting out and rightly so. Cheaping out on a photographer might not serve your best interests or be the best choice for your baby (see points 1 & 2 again). if you are somebody that loves to have wall art displayed in your home and albums scattered across the coffee table, then choosing a photographer that offers such products might be the best route for you. So be sure to ask what kind of photo packages they offer and what is included. Also check for any ‘hidden’ costs that might not have been mentioned. You want to have a clear idea of what you will be spending with the person you decide to hire.
5. Ask about their availability and how their schedule work
Photographers book up quite far in advance. Once you know you are ready to book your newborn session, then start doing your research. It is recommended that you book when you are past your first trimester and feeling good. Leaving it until the baby has been born might make it more challenging to find a newborn photographer that is available on short notice. As many prefer to photograph newborns within the first two weeks of birth, you will want to sensure you get your due date on their calender. It is also important to know how many sessions the photographer schedules per day. As newborns can be unpredictable you don’t want your session to feel rushed. Allowing adequate time for your session to happen without the worry of the next client coming in, means everyone will feel more relaxed. So ask the photographer how much time they allow for the newborn session and if they schedule them back to back.
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