What new parents need to know before hiring a newborn photographer

If you’ve never hired a newborn photographer (or any kind of studio photographer before) then I completely understand that there is a lot for you to take on board when making the decision about who to choose.

Hiring a newborn photographer isn’t just a case of searching for one in Google and choosing the first one you find. (That’s not the approach I would recommend anyway).

No, there’s far more to it than that because there are many photographers out there, and not all are created equal.

So, in today’s blog, I’m sharing with you some of the key things I believe that parents need to know before hiring a newborn photographer.

My hope is that you can get yourself clued up about newborn photography as far as possible in advance of your baby arriving. Then, having done your research in advance and being fully prepared, you’ll make the right decision about who to hire and will thoroughly enjoy your newborn photoshoot experience as a result.

Important things to consider when choosing a newborn photographer

1. Safety

There is currently no official qualification that a newborn photographer needs to achieve which means that it’s really important that you choose yours carefully.

Do your homework into how they handle babies to achieve the photos they showcase on their website.

Some popular newborn photography poses seem to defy gravity. They show a sleeping baby supporting the weight of their own head (which is impossible!). Or, they are positioned on a shelf or hung from a height (which would be unsafe if not done properly).

Does the photographer you are considering talk about newborn safety on their website?

Do they discuss it in their blog (as I have done here) or on their social media? Have they been quoted in the media or written articles about it? Basically, do they mention it as being highly important? Or, in contrast, do they not talk about it at all?

No prominent mention of baby safety on a newborn photographer’s website should set off alarm bells in your head! This is my absolute number one priority, as it should be. Safety should always come first!

2. Experience

Before hiring a newborn photographer, I’d always recommend that you aim to hire someone who has a lot of experience and who is a specialist in handling babies.

Newborn baby photography is a specialist skill. As a parent myself, I know that I’d only want to put my precious newborn in the hands of someone who knows how to handle them safely.

To see how experienced a photographer is, look on their website for examples of their work. Do they show a variety of example images which indicate that they have been established for a while?

Also, look online for reviews from happy customers. Do they have a highly-rated service on Google and Facebook? The more established newborn photographers will have many happy customers and positive reviews.

3. Style

When deciding on which newborn photographer to hire, style is a big part of the decision process. Quite simply, you should hire a photographer whose work you absolutely love. And if you’ve not found that photographer yet, keep looking!

The images you see on their website galleries and shared on their social media pages should make you smile, coo and perhaps even cry! They should move you.

There should be an emotional connection to the images, and once you feel this…bingo! You’ve found the right baby photographer for you.

Honestly, once you’ve found the one, you’ll know.  You’ll feel it in your gut that their work is the exact style you are after, and you’ll be excited to hire them.

4. Location

Location is an important factor, but it needn’t be the deciding factor.

There is no reason why you cannot travel across the county, or even the country, to have your baby photographed by the newborn photographer you want to hire.

I say this because although I am based in Poole in Dorset, I very often have clients travelling from not only Dorset and the neighbouring county of Hampshire, but also from much further afield.

Clients regularly travel to me from London, Birmingham and even on a number of occasions, clients have travelled from abroad to be photographed by me.

5. Cost of hiring a newborn photographer

While I’m not suggesting that you should max out your budget on newborn photos, you shouldn’t be looking to hire the cheapest photographer out there either.

As with everything in life, I believe that you get what you pay for. Cheap baby photos may seem a bargain but they’re not going to be the best quality. If something seems extremely cheap, ask yourself why that might be.

I’d highly recommend that you view consider price in your decision making, but that you don’t let low prices determine which photographer you choose.

As an experienced, multi-award-winning newborn photographer myself, I’m certainly not the cheapest in the area. But I believe that I offer great value photography considering my expertise (I’ve photographed over 700 newborns over the past eight years) and that my prices are a fair reflection of the quality of service and images that I provide to my photography clients.

Are you considering hiring a newborn photographer?

Please complete this contact form to get in touch with me if you think I may be the perfect newborn photographer for you!

And if you know any other parents-to-be who are also considering hiring a newborn photographer, then please do share this article with them too. Thank you!

Karen x