Besides your wedding day, there is no more life altering time than having a newborn baby. Going from a couple to a family. It is a world changing event, and that is why it is so important to memorialize this brief time with professional newborn pictures. As a newborn photographer, let me give you the truth about newborn photography and help you figure out how to find the best photographer for you.
First and foremost, time is of the essence! In my world, a baby is really only a newborn for about the first two weeks of life. The younger the baby, the harder and deeper they sleep, pretty much only waking to eat (though maybe crying a good spell in the late afternoon and middle of the night). At about two weeks of age, babies are staying awake a bit longer, which is NOT what we want for photographs. We want babies to be sound asleep, so we can put them in those adorable poses. At about three weeks of age, babies like to straighten out and do not want to curl up as tightly like they were in the womb. If you like newborns in baskets or props like that, they need to still curl up for us. So, figure out who is going to be your newborn photographer BEFORE you give birth. Photographers vary in terms of scheduling, so make sure you know when and how to schedule with your photographer. You don’t want to be figuring out who to choose after the baby.
Ok, that was really about the timing but not about how to find your newborn photographer. While Instagram and Pinterest are great for inspiration, they are not going to be helpful in finding your photographer. Do a search for “[insert your town name] Newborn Photographer” and start looking through galleries. Taking personal recommendations from friends is also a good idea (but only if you love their pictures). The single most important factor in finding the right photographer is their work. Hopefully they have a gallery devoted to newborn images (if they don’t or if the same baby is shown many times, that can be a sign of little experience). A gallery is a photographer’s best work. You want to find a photographer whose style is what draws you, and style is a personal preference. Once you find some photographers whose work you like, go to their blog and check out more of their work. Most blogs show several images from a session, and you can get a better idea as to their consistency. You don’t want a photographer who will give you only a single image you love while the rest are blah. Look for consistency within sessions and over time.
So now you hopefully have a handful of photographers whose work you really like – if you don’t, expand your search to surrounding towns. There are two more factors for you to consider in choosing your photographer. First, what are you really looking for? Do you want an art piece to be on your wall for years? Do you want a wall collection? An album? Only digital files? Photographers vary in what they offer and some will not sell digital files, and some are digital only. Do not make any assumptions about their offerings, be sure to ask!
Only after all these factors are accounted for do you need to factor in pricing. I say this because if you make pricing the first filter, you will cut some of the very best photographers. After looking through their work, you might fall in love with a photographer and change your mindset on what you are willing to spend, or you might decide that you would be happy with fewer images in order to have their work. Being a photographer, of course I am biased, but I genuinely believe you get what you pay for. Everyone has a budget, and the value an individual places on photography greatly varies. This is okay, just know what is important to you. If pricing is important to you, be sure to get all of the pricing information up front, so there are no surprises. If you don’t understand the pricing – ask questions until you do.
Weddings and newborns – the two times in life that are the MOST IMPORTANT to hire a professional photographer to create something breathtaking, something beautiful. Something to last forever.
Megan Drane is a professional photographer in Illinois. You can find her work at
Megan Drane Professional Photographer www.fireflynightsphotography.com megan@fireflynightsphotography.com Additional Articles by Megan: https://newborncaresolutions.com/author/megan-drane/
