Have you just started your search for a newborn photographer and found yourself overwhelmed with choices? While it’s a good problem to have, too many choices can sometimes make it harder to decide. Here’s help to demystify the world of newborn photography and get you started in finding the perfect newborn photographer for you!

5 tips for finding your perfect newborn photographer

 

Start with style

 Newborn pictures come in a wide variety of styles, so look through some pictures and see which ones you’re drawn to. Then look to see if there’s a trend:

• are they filled with color, or do they use soft, more muted tones?
• is the background fairly simple, or is the baby part of a scene?
• are babies dressed, naked or a little of both? Are the babies posed or are they in a lifestyle type setting?
• once you’ve decided what types of pictures make your heart sing, you can narrow the field to photographers in your area who have a similar style.

Find a professional

You don’t want to trust your precious new baby to just anyone. Here are a few things to look for and ask about that show you you’ll be in good hands:

• they’re a member of a professional organization (Professional Photographers of America, for example)
• their words and pictures show they handle a baby safely
• they’ve been published on a website or in a magazine
• they’re recommended by other professionals in their field (newbornphotography.com has a listing of recommended photographers worldwide; the Bump Society is a curated, invitation-only list of birth and newborn professionals)
• ask how long they’ve been in business, what their background is and what type of education they have

Look for consistency

• browse through their online portfolio and make sure there’s a good body of work there- lots of different babies, creativity but with a sense that they’re all done by the same photographer. Look to see if there’s a blog with the most recent work and several photos done at each session. Anyone can take one or two good pictures, but you want someone who can get good pictures every session with every baby.

Decide if you want to go out or stay home

• some photographers have studios, and some newborn photographers come to your home to take your pictures. Some people are more comfortable visiting a studio, while some like to hang out at home. Choose the option that fits you best!

Define your budget

• I mention this last, but budgets are a reality. Since this is a once-in-a-lifetime session, though, you may not want to make it your first priority. Often at sessions, I see pictures of mom and dad as babies, and these pictures of your baby will be passed down through generations, too.  It’s worth spending some time to find a newborn photographer whose work you can’t live without at a price you can work into your budget.

Have more questions about finding a newborn photographer? Ask me here– I’d love to talk over your ideas for a session!