Why You Should Hire A Professional Newborn Photographer
You just found out you are expecting a baby! How exciting! Now how will you choose your Newborn Photographer?
This most exciting time is filled with decisions. Pram, bassinet, cot, car seat etc…but most important, and the decision that you do not want to regret, choosing the professional newborn photographer to capture your beautiful baby. Newborns are growing and changing a lot in the first weeks of life. Your newborn baby will never be again that tiny, with the little details disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Memories created during your pregnancy and newborn portraits are the most precious photos you will ever have, so choosing someone experienced to capture those moments is very important. Newborn photography is unlike any other genre of photography. The photographer not only will be creating memories to last for lifetime but he will also be caring for your new baby while the session takes place. You want to ensure your baby is in the best hands. I put few things together for you to consider when choosing newborn photographer.
Safety
Choosing a newborn photographer can be quite hard. Internet is full of ads for this type of photography. So how can you choose the right one?
The safety of your newborn is by far the most important factor when considering photographer for your precious baby.
Professional newborn photographers must be trained and taught on how to handle newborns with care. Working with tiny babies on a regular basis will mean that your photographer is experienced in safe posing, handling and soothing your baby.
There are a few safety and training certification programs out there for newborn photographers.
APNPI is the world’s first photographer’s association dedicated exclusively to newborn photographers! And I am so proud to be a part of this association. I have gone through their training and passed the test to become an accredit member of APNPI.
Before I started to photograph newborns I have attended various workshops which were focused primarily on newborn posing and safety. I have done some private mentoring with the best newborn photographers in Australia and US.
Style
There are so many different styles of newborn photography, and none is right or wrong. It is very personal taste, I would say look at a few different types of newborn photography and see what you feel for each of them, what emotions do they bring in you, what is more closer to your heart?
Some people prefer more styled and posed images, others drawn to lifestyle photos and recently baby led sessions becoming more and more popular.
During a posed newborn session, your sleeping baby is gently guided into beautiful curled up poses, snuggly wrapped.
With lifestyle sessions, the primary focus is on the connections and love that family members share with their new little ones. Lifestyle photography can take place in your home or in studio.
Baby led posing is a very natural type of session, it is more what your baby likes, his favourite pose to sleep and stretch.
My style is very organic and natural, with the combination of posed and lifestyle work. I use mostly white/light neutral colours and minimum props to keep the focus on the baby to create timeless images. I believe in less is more concept.
Experience
How long have they been photographing newborn babies? You will pay more for a trained and experienced photographer but trust me, it is money well spent!
It takes years of practice to become a confident newborn photographer.
Experienced newborn photographers won’t stress if your baby is awake, cries or unsettled, they will know how to deal with fussy or irritable babies.
I have photographed more than hundred babies in the past years up to now having business on a three different continents. And I always have had happy clients walking away with beautiful memories and most of my clients refer their friends to me after their session. That’s the best compliment for my work!
Investment
Last, but not least, price! Newborn photographers shouldn’t be cheap.
Going with the least expensive options might result with you being unhappy with the end result. Rescheduling or booking another photographer might not be an option anymore since the window to photograph the newborns is very short. It is normally between 5-14 days old when they are most sleepy and curly.
So why newborn session is more costly than any other portrait session?
First of all to become a newborn photographer you will need to do some training and learning from other experienced newborn photographers. And this type of workshops are normally very expensive.So it is big investment.
Second of all, high quality equipment.
Can you take photos of your baby with your new iPhone? Yes, you surely can! Will they look great printed big on your walls? may be not... Professional newborn photographers invest a lot of money into their gear: camera bodies, lenses, studio lighting, flashes, props, editing software etc.. if they rent a studio it is another huge expense on top of the above.
Thirdly, the newborn session takes 3-4 hours. After the session I will spend anywhere between 8-10 hours of work between emailing clients, editing their images and ordering printed products. It is very time consuming! So it is not only a photographs you are paying for, you are paying for the whole experience and mostly important lifetime memories which you will cherish forever.
A photographer running a legal business with insurance, lots of training and other business expenses will almost always be more expensive. When booking your session, always remember the old saying, “you get what you pay for”.
Elena Yun Photography is specialising in maternity, newborn and baby portraiture. The studio is located downtown Kitimat and welcoming it's clients from Kitimat and Terrace area.
If you are interested in my work please check my blog and portfolio. Or send me a message, I’ll be very happy to chat to you!
Elena,xx