Have you ever asked yourself, How do I choose a photographer for my newborn baby? Well, this post is for you! I plan to dive into all the details about newborn photography and how to choose a photographer that’s right for you. This is meant to be a comprehensive guide on all things newborn photography!
If you know someone who is expecting and looking for a newborn photographer, I would love it if you shared this post with them too.
What is newborn photography?
Newborn photography is a style of photography that focuses specifically on newborn babies, usually under 3 months old. Most photographers who specialize in newborn photography are trained to handle your newborn baby safely, as well as keep them happy and comfortable during the entire experience. There are may different types of newborn sessions, varying from simply photographing the baby in the parents’ arms to intricate poses.
Why is newborn photography important?
Newborn babies change very quickly. The squishy newborn phase only lasts a few weeks and then the babies start changing significantly. Their little features will begin to adjust as quickly as 3 weeks after birth! Photographing these first few weeks of life is the only way to capture those sweet new babies.
Newborn babies, especially babies under 6 weeks old, spend the majority of their days sleeping soundly, which makes it an ideal time to photograph them. Not only will you be able to capture all the features of your brand new baby, but you’ll have memories of just how small they were in your arms to look back on.
Is newborn photography safe?
It is incredibly important to make sure that the photographer you choose to capture your newborn baby is trained and experienced handling newborn babies. There are many safety precautions that specialized newborn photographer will take to keep your new baby safe and happy. Newborn photography with an experienced newborn photographer is safe as they will know how to hold the baby, what to look out for, how to safely wrap the baby, how to safely pose a baby where they are never in danger!
If you are interested in posed newborn photography, make sure you are researching the photographer’s qualifications and experience with newborn babies. There are many poses that you see online that are done with various shots that are then photoshopped together to make one final image. This is imperative for the baby’s safety.
What type of newborn photographers are there?
How do I choose a photographer for my newborn baby when I am not sure what the style is…
There are a variety of newborn photographers ranging from lifestyle to posed and somewhere in between. Lifestyle photographers often concentrate of capturing the newborn baby without many props or posing. These photoshoots are often more casual and candid. Posed newborn photographers will often use props, backdrops and accessories to create beautiful images of your baby, often asleep and posed in particular sweet baby poses. When you see babies in buckets, little beds, or heart bowls, this is usually a posed newborn photoshoot.
In addition to the style, newborn photographers also differentiate in their location. While some photographers own a studio with natural or external lighting, others shoot on location or in your home. There are a number of things to consider when choosing your location and photographer including:
- Are you prepared to have the right space and environment for a newborn shoot or do you prefer to just show up in a set studio?
- Are you comfortable shooting on location and possibly rescheduling due to weather or lighting or do you prefer to have a set date and time you stick to?
- Do you want your memories to include your home and baby’s nursery or would you prefer the studio setup?
How do I find a newborn photographer?
Finding a newborn photographer takes a little bit of research. The most common way to gather names of newborn photographers in your area is to ask your friends and family or to simply search via google or other search engines. Googling your state, town or county along with “newborn photographer” is a pretty good start.
Once you have a list of photographers near you, narrow them down by removing names of those whose style doesn’t match what you are looking for. As an example, if you are looking for someone to create posed newborn images, you can remove the list of lifestyle photographers.
Next, look at the photographer’s website and social media. There are 3 things to consider when you are looking at their recent work:
- Do the images they post match what you are looking for in style, editing, posing, etc?
- Is there consistency in their work and images?
- Is there new work being posted regularly?
What questions should I ask when I choose a photographer for my newborn baby?
This is a list of questions that you should consider learning about the newborn photographer you are looking at or asking them. Many photographers will have at least some of this information directly on their website.
- What training or experience does the photographer have. This is especially important if you are looking for a posed newborn photographer. While there are no formal requirements, most experienced photographers will have taken training courses, workshops, or hired a mentor specifically for newborn photography and safety.
- What safety measures does the photographer take to make sure your baby is safe? This is everything from making sure that they are vaccinated to protect your baby to working with someone to create the more advanced poses.
- When and where does the photoshoot take place?
- Do they have availability? To make sure you don’t miss booking the photographer of your dreams, I recommend that you start your research in your second trimester.
- How will the final images be delivered? Do they offer digital images or products? It’s important to understand the packages your photographer offers fully.
- Are the final images edited and retouched?
- What is the turnaround time or when can you expect to receive the final products?
- What are the packages, how much do they cost and what is included in each package?
And now a little about me, my style and what you can expect from this CT Newborn Photographer.
Hi I’m Kat! I am a CT based professional photographer who specializes in newborn and family photography. I have photographed hundreds of newborn babies and families since 2013 and can honestly say that I absolutely love what I do. To me photography is more than just a job – it is my passion.
When it comes to my style, I am primarily a posed newborn photographer with a studio in Madison CT, but I do like to sprinkle a bit of that lifestyle feel into each session. I find that a variety of posed as well as more casual images really brings the variety to your session.
As for safety, newborn safety is my priority! I am trained and certified in safely handling newborn babies, am fully vaccinated and will always prioritize your baby during the session. With over 9 years of experience in photographing over 500 babies and counting, you can trust that your baby is in safe hands.
Related posts that might be interesting to you.
- Want to learn more about my process, experience and portfolio with newborn babies? Check out my newborn page.
- Here are some of my favorite resources for new parents
- 5 tips to incorporate siblings in your newborn photography session
- Check out what is included in a mini newborn photo session
- See what’s included in a Signature newborn photography session
- Shopping for expecting parents? Here are 5 budget-friendly gifts I recommend for new parents
- Want to see an example of what an all-inclusive session means?
- Check out my 5 tips for a successful newborn photo session here
