Probably every new mum will be considering booking a professional newborn session for her baby. But is it worth doing it at all?
Below you’ll find facts and useful information, which will help you to decide.
It’s always worth taking professional newborn photography pictures, not just because of the experience, gear and an artist’s eye that the photographer has. But also for the high-quality photos that a professional camera can take, which you can print out on a large scale and won’t lose quality. Although your iPhone can take amazing pictures, you may not be able to achieve the same results.,
It’s unlikely you will hear any parents saying they regret the money they have spent on a newborn photographer. There are many reasons why Mums love to get baby’s pictures done;
So, why is it worth booking a professional newborn photography session?
A newborn photographer spends a significant amount of money on equipment such as; camera, lens, lighting, and of course countless hours of training.
All these assets help them to achieve stunning results at every single session.
Newborn baby photography is quite a young category of modern photography. If you have doubts about your baby’s photos getting dusty on a shelf, or only being browsed once in a few years, then you need to know that these pictures are worthwhile and will still be beautiful in the future.
You will enjoy Newborn photography photos over the years as your kids grow, more than the day you receive them.
The face of your baby in the first year changes from week to week, and it will never be the same as it was in the early days, a fact that you can keep with you for the rest of their life thanks to Newborn Photography.
For many Moms, Newborn Baby photography is literally on top of the list of “the first thing in my child’s life” (first tooth, word, step)
What do I get after a newborn photoshoot?
What you get entirely depends on your budget, and what package you chose.
All photographers have packages which can fit everyone, starting from a couple of edited photos sent through email in digital format to a big range of options, such as; 50 edited pictures, framed prints, albums.
How long does it take to edit the photos?
Usually, the well-known photographers are quite busy, so it takes some time to edit pictures, especially if you’ve chosen one of the top packages which include big framed prints and albums.
On average, you should get your edited photos anywhere between 2 weeks and three months, and the photographer will usually let you know about timescales in your first phone call.
Is it safe?
You will find newborn photographers are Mums, and Dads who have experience with children.
They deal with many newborn babies throughout their career, and many have completed child first aid courses. This should give you confidence about the safety aspects of handing over your child to a photographer.
Many photographers will display all their certification and safety qualifications they have on their ‘about me’ page, if it’s not there, ask about safety over the phone.
But if you’re still concerned about it, there is a whole article about baby safety in newborn photography that you can check out before you book the session.
What do I have to bring with me?
The most important thing to bring with you is Patience!
Oh Yes! In rare cases the session may last up to five hours, it all depends on how your baby behaves on the day. If He or she doesn’t want to cooperate with a photographer, you will need to stay positive and patient.
Your photographer will have the temperature in the studio at around 27 degrees, to keep the baby warm; however, you might get exhausted quickly.
The photographer will have everything they might need for the photo session; props, outfits, and all types of swaddle blankets.
If you have a special outfit you want to try on your baby during the session, then bring this along too, the photographer has no issues with that.
Why is it so expensive?
When you come for a session, the photographer will be working for 2-3 hours, and you may think;” why is he charging so much for a few hours?”
But if you look into the financial aspects of the business, you will be quite surprised at how expensive all the stuff is.
Compared to another category in this industry, newborn photographers invest much more in their gear.
Besides cameras, lens, and lighting; there are a lot of props, decorations, and safety courses which cost loads of money.
Newborn photographers are always updating their props so that every new client can have unique pictures.
How to save money on newborn photography
Nowadays we all are good at photography, and if you have one of the latest smartphones out there, then you probably have a pretty good camera already.
If you feel you have excellent photography skills, then go for it!!
My niece had a professional session with her first baby and recreated the same photo for her second. There are loads of helpful guides and videos on YouTube, which can help you to gather all the gear and knowledge you need to do your photoshoot:
Quick tips on how to create your newborn photoshoot;
Camera
Find the best camera you can!
People now spend a lot of money on their own DSLR’s.
You can buy second-hand or ask around. You may be able to borrow the camera from your friends or relatives if you don’t have your own.
Lightning
Most photographers don’t use flash or softboxes; they opt for natural light.
Try to get an area close to the window where you will have plenty of natural light.
Props
You can improvise with props big time,
You’ll be surprised how quickly you can find some accessories in your house.
Don’t forget to ask your mom or grandma for some vintage boxes and baskets; they definitely will have some.
Now you have Facebook marketplace available, where people are selling a lot of newborn props for pennies.
Have a glance around the town, for vintage and charity shops for more of them.
Practice
Once you find a decent camera, practice as much as you can before the photoshoot. Check what every single button does; get familiar with it.
Check on google, how to get the most out of the camera.
Editing
There are loads of apps on Android or IOS where you can edit the photos,
Just type in a photo editor in AppStore and all the best ones will come up.
But if you’re more a Laptop person, you can use photoshop on a free trial which gives you enough time to edit the photo. Just make sure that you haven’t subscribed to the service!
Try not to go too hard with editing; keep it as natural as possible.
Stick to the rule “less is more!”
For more ideas, check out the video below with tips on how to do it yourself!
How to find a good photographer who is not too expensive?
If your budget is tight, or you don’t want to spend too much on a newborn photography session, you can use Instagram as a search engine to find photographers who are new to this service and are starting to build their brand. They are as passionate as experienced photographers and love working with newborn babies.
As they are just starting, their prices will be more competitive than others who already have a strong reputation.
Do I need to come to the studio or does the photographer come to me at home?
Usually, the photographers will prefer you to come over to the studio where they have all the equipment set up.
At the studio, the photographer has access to all his or her inventory at the time. Being in their workspace will be beneficial for the whole process to go smoother.
The studios usually are quite spacious, and a seating area is made available for the parents where they can watch the process, and give a helping hand to the photographer when it’s needed.
However, many photographers are pleased to come over to your house. They have mobile gear for travelling and should not charge anything extra.
Many Mums are not willing to go out the first couple of weeks with a newborn baby and would not wish to travel miles to the studio.
The photographer will let you know what he or she needs from you. Just try to be as helpful as possible to the photographer.
How to convince my husband to book the newborn photo session?
Many men don’t even know about the existence of newborn photography, or how important it is to save these special early moments.
By stating all the above, you should be able to persuade your husband that it is worth having professional newborn photography.
Always have Pinterest handy, where you can scroll through and show him lots of gorgeous newborn photography pictures and ideas. Pinterest is one of the most significant online resources where photographers share their amazing masterpieces.
You never know you might get him inspired, and he would like to get involved and enjoy the photo session with you.
Summary
Becoming a parent is one of the most joyful moments in our lives,
and it is worth getting a professional newborn photographer to save this joy for decades.
But we are all unique human beings, and you are in charge of prioritizing things in life.
If you don’t manage to get a photographer, you shouldn’t regret anything.
Thanks for reading this article and I hope it was helpful for you.
Have a great time
Related question
How much newborn photography cost?
Professional newborn photography will cost somewhere around $100-$500 a session worldwide, that’s all photography gear, and editing included.
When is the best time for newborn photography?
Best time for newborn photography is anywhere between five and fourteen days from the child’s birth.
At this stage, a baby is still as sleepy as he or she was in the mother’s womb, and the photographer can make unique pictures.