One of the most exciting events in a parent's life is when a newborn baby comes along. It is also a time of change and a whirlwind of activity. Things can quickly get lost in the hustle and bustle of a new baby. One thing you don't want to forget is having photographs taken of your new baby. Newborn photography is so important because they will never be that little again and it's a time you want to always look back on and remember. I love taking photos of newborns and capturing those new special moments.
The best time to begin your search is no later than the 5th or sixth month of your pregnancy especially if you are interested in a maternity shoot. Your first step should be to decide what kind of style you want for your newborn session. Many photographers take highly stylized sessions with many props. You will also find photographers who do more of a lifestyle session with lots of candids and photos of the family around the house interacting with one another. You also have photographers who will come to your house or photographers where you will go to their studio. To get an idea of what you like you should spend some time on sites like Pinterest or do a web search. I offer my clients a combination of posed and lifestyle photos as that is the best of both worlds.
Once you have an idea of the kind of session you want you should begin the search for the photographer. In my experience, the best way to find a photographer is to ask your friends and family for suggestions. Getting a personal referral from someone will give you peace of mind that the photographer can be trusted. Your friends and family can tell you what they liked about the photographer and show you their photos to see if they match the type of photographer you are looking for. If you don't have any friends who can recommend a photographer then you should check and see if there are any local photo organizations in the neighborhood. They should be able to refer a number of photographers you can choose from. You can also check with national organizations for photographers in your area such as the Professional Photographers of America.
Once you have narrowed your list down to a few photographers whose work you admire, it is time to contact the photographers. There are a few things you want to remember to ask during the initial contact. Ask them about their availability, pricing, style and request to see a gallery from a full newborn session. It is great to see a portfolio of the photographers work online but I love showing potential clients photos from a whole session from start to finish which will give you the best idea of a photographers work. Also, you can begin to see if you will mesh well with the photographer. Remember after your baby is born it will be a very emotionally charged time and you want a patient, empathetic photographer that you will feel comfortable with.
As soon as you decide which photographer you want go ahead and book the session. Most photographers will ask for a retainer to book the session with the final payment due 1-2 weeks before the session. I tell my parents that the best time to schedule a newborn shoot is 5-10 days after the due date. You also want to make sure that you will have flexibility to reschedule if the baby is born early or late.
Hopefully these tips will help you find the perfect newborn photographer. If you are in the Atlanta, GA area give me a call or send me an email at as I would love to talk about your perfect newborn photography session!
Also check out Planning for Your Newborn Session.
