There are many things to think about when hiring a professional newborn photographer and many reasons why we shouldn’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity. Of course we all should be taking many photos of our children all the time, yes that includes dog children, but there are those times you should hire a professional. When your new baby arrives is one of those times. This is a very special time in your life and they change so fast, it’s important to get portraits of not just them, but you too. And if your taking the photos you can’t be in them. There is something very special about the connection a parent has with their new little one. As your children grow they will admire their portraits on your wall, or flip through their newborn album in awe. They love to see what they looked like as a newborn and also what their parents looked like oh so long ago. There is no question that you should take photos of your new little one, but these are the top 8 reasons why I think it’s important to hire a professional newborn photographer.
1. Safety – The most important thing when hiring a professional newborn photographer
Safety should be the number one concern when hiring a professional newborn photographer. Since you are handing over your precious baby to a stranger, you must trust that the person in an expert in their field and will do everything to ensure your baby is comfortable and safe at all times. It takes training and practice to know how to safely achieve those beautiful poses. We always make sure baby is supported, stable and comfortable. Some poses are even done as composites, which is combining two or more images in photoshop.
2. Education & Training
Education and training go far beyond just the safety of your baby. Newborn photography is very different from other specialties and require education, training and a whole lot of practice to master. Learning to sooth babies, posing, lighting, and composition becomes a large investment in time and money. When you are hiring a professional newborn photographer you are paying for their knowledge and experience. I have had hands on training in the specialty of newborn portraiture, and continue my education online.
3. Professional Equipment
Although great gear doesn’t instantly make you a great photographer, it does help us create our visions. Professional photographers will have the right equipment to make sure their job is done well. That means having 2 camera bodies and multiple lenses, in case something happens to one the job must still get done. And in the case of studio photographers, we also have lights, triggers, and modifiers. Professional photographers require software like Photoshop to edit. All of this is required to create beautiful, high quality images of your baby.
4. Editing
I do strive to get everything as perfect in camera as possible. But there is always a little editing needed to get those clean final images. Some babies have red patches or flaky skin that needs touching up. Some backgrounds need to be touched up or extended. And some poses need to be composited together in Photoshop from 2 photos. I will also combine multiple images so everyone has their best smile in the family photo. Professional newborn photographers have the editing knowledge to fix babies skin without making it look overly edited. We edit everything by hand in Photoshop, much more than just using a filter.
5. Studio & Props
Most professional newborn photographers will have a studio full of props to use for your newborn session. Many have invested thousands in amazing props that would include handmade outfits what were made just for photographing babies, headbands, wraps, layers, backdrops, buckets, bowls, beds and plenty of other prop options that help make each session unique. In our studio you will get to see and choose your style and props during our consultation before your session, we will design and plan it together.
6. Creativity
Since most newborn photographers have a studio full of props, we like to get creative. We all have our own style, but that doesn’t mean everything needs to look the same. Using the color combinations and props you helped choose during your consultation we will create a unique session and timeless portraits. I also offer some amazing art products that you may have never seen before.
7. Quality and Consistency
When you are hiring a professional newborn photographer, you choose them for their style and you get high quality images like the ones they show on their website. They will have their own style of posing and lighting that’s consistent across different sessions. Here at ADP we have high quality products that match our high quality portraits, timeless portraits made into archival art products.
8. Stress free experience
Your newborn session should be a stress free experience. Untrained photographers can make what should be a relaxing experience, incredibly stressful. You may be overwhelmed with everything that comes with having a new baby. And going unprepared into a newborn session may be unnerving. Hiring a professional newborn photographer will reassure you that they are trained in their field and will focus on the safety of your baby. Here at ADP, I will walk you through the process during your consultation before the session is even scheduled, so you are prepared and know what to expect. I have a couch in the studio where clients can relax, read a book, or even take a nap during the session.
I’d love to chat with you more about our custom newborn portrait experience. Send us a message or give us a call.