First off, we would like to congratulate you! If you are on this blog it means that you’re looking for a photographer to capture one of the greatest moments of your life. Now is the time to carefully survey all your options and this blog serves as the basis for what you should base that decision on. Because, what should you be looking for in a photographer?

1. Safety

Safety is always the number one priority when it comes to your new child, their pictures should be no exception. There’s a lot of photographers trying to get their start, they may offer free sessions as well. Truth be told, although it would be nice to get a great deal, a lot of those photographers don’t have the necessary skills to handle newborn babies and may not have the knowledge required to have a smoother session that you would get from a more experienced photographer. Find out more about the photographer: how long have they been in the business, what classes have they taken, do they have children of their own, do they have staff on standby to help during the session, do they have liability insurance? These are some of the questions you should have for any photographer you’re interested in.

2. Style

Consider what session type and style you are aiming for. A lot of photographers work from a studio where they provide everything, from the backdrops to the props and even outfits. While some photographers are known as Lifestyle photographers, they go to your home and take pictures of your family in a more familiar setting. Check the photographer’s website, see if maybe they’ve done a session with your vision before, this means that they have experience with what you want and can better cater to your idea for your session. With photographers that provide everything for you, it really makes it easier to accommodate for exactly how you want the session, the studio setting makes it fully customizable to exactly what your heart desires. They provide everything for you in any color and some even hand-make their props and outfits!

3. Ratings/Reviews

Sometimes you need reassurance when choosing something. A lot of us find that when more people do it, we are inclined to believe more in it. This is where reviews come in, they’re very important! Any business will tell you that they pride themselves on their reviews, and if those reviews are many, that means there’s plenty of voices and clients of all differing tastes who have gone through the same photographer. Read reviews, they are most often extremely real and truthful to how the experience with that photographer is. Read both the positive and any negative reviews to weigh options that you have with any photographer.

4. Location

When it comes to photographers who operate out of a studio, where is that studio? Sometimes, distance can be a problem, especially if the session has to be in the morning due to the sleep schedule of most newborns. Not only how far that studio is, but where is it located? Is the surrounding area safe and pleasant looking? Also, what’s provided at the studio, do they have a nice client waiting room? Does it look comfortable to be in for hours on end while the photographer works with your baby? Do they constantly sanitize everything, do they have an easily accessible restroom? These are the questions you should ask yourself before making the commute.

5. Type of Business

What type of photography business does your photographer have? Do they specialize in newborn photography, how often do they have sessions? Does the photographer listen to your vision, do they allow you to fully customize your session with them? Also, pay attention to how they edit the photographs. Some just lightly touch up the photos in programs like Adobe Lightroom, while some take the extra time and fully edit each image in Adobe Photoshop. When are the photos ready and what do they offer in digital format and printed format?

6. Budget

Let’s be honest, everything sounds great, until the budget factor kicks in! But one thing to consider, if your chosen photographer has everything you’re looking for: they have years of experience, specialize in newborn photography, provide all the amenities like backgrounds and props and outfits, and they edit every individual photograph, and they have an assistant, then they’re probably for a higher price than one that doesn’t offer as much. But remember, newborn photography is nothing to spend less on, because newborns are only that way for so long! Personally, we have clients that chose us second, because they were disappointed with their first choice and came to us with very little time left. Newborn accessories like strollers, cribs, and car seats are extremely important and people willing to go the extra mile and buy premium so they can assure they newborn is always safe, why should their photographs be any different?

Thanks for reading this blog, we hope this helps you make the right decision moving forward with your newborn photographer search! Whether it is with us or not, we wish you a pleasant experience!