Top 9 tips for choosing your newborn photography studio.
The arrival of your newborn baby is possibly the most exciting time in your life. All of a sudden, this tiny and perfect little being enters your life and your whole world is transformed.
It’s such a magical time and those early weeks pass by in a blur as you try to adapt to late nights, early mornings, and very little sleep. I mean, sleep deprivation was a breeze when we were teenagers, right? But suddenly, a baby comes along and BAM! You find yourself leaving the house in your pyjamas and you don’t even care. But the one thing all parents care about is documenting those early days.
No one is immune to the magical super-powers of a newborn baby. Their smallness, their scent and their tiny features are ever-changing, particularly in those first few weeks.
Which is why newborn photography is a popular way to document your baby’s arrival and capture their tiny perfection. And if you’re searching for a newborn photography studio, there are some important things to know about photography before you book.
After all, you won’t want just anyone handling your baby, will you?
1. Training. Do they have any at all?
In this digital age, it has never been easier to buy a decent DSLR camera. However, having a fancy camera doesn’t make you a photographer. And it doesn’t matter how many YouTube videos someone watches, nothing compares to professional training, certifications, and safety training. Especially when it comes to handling your precious newborn. There are so many horror stories of hobbyist photographers practicing unsafe poses on newborn babies without having any idea of safety and what’s involved in posing a newborn baby.
So, how do you find a safe and experienced professional photographer for your newborn?
· Look for certifications from professional photography organisations.
· Have they undergone newborn posing training?
· How much experience do they have with newborns?
For instance, I’ve undergone training with the Newborn Posing Academy and am a member of the International Newborn Photographers Association, the Newborn Photographers Society and I’m an accredited member of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography.
If you find a photographer who has at least some of the above qualifications, you can rest easy knowing your baby will be photographed safely.
2. A Professional or a Hobbyist? How can you tell the difference?
Okay, I admit there a bunch of newborn photography studios in Sydney, and some certainly produce amazing work. But how do you spot an amateur? Well, first of all, do they have a website? If you’ve found a photographer on Facebook and you think their work is nice, do your research.
If they don’t have a website, run away!
Like, right now.
Immediately.
Go.
Because every single professional newborn photographer has a website. Facebook pages (although professionals do have Facebook too) are for hobbyists to show off their snapshots and not for finding a photographer to handle your baby.
3. What kind of website do they have?
Okay, this can be a little confusing because some hobbyists do have websites. Because there are many free website platforms that are totally DIY. So, you also need to evaluate the quality of the website. Compare their website to other newborn photographers in the area and see how it rates.
4. Newborn poses aren’t what they appear to be.
There are so many cute baby photos on the internet aren’t there? And many parents gush over photos of cute babies, vertically wrapped in a cocoon, sitting on tiny chairs, or fast asleep and hanging in a hammock. All seemingly unassisted. It looks so easy, doesn’t it?
But beware! Cute baby photos are not all what they appear. Much of this is professional trickery and mastery. These photos are composites of multiple images painstakingly and, most importantly, safely created in Photoshop.
For the unfamiliar with Photoshop, what this means is, your baby is photographed safely on a beanbag or pillow in a position and then photoshopped into another scene to appear completely different.
And through the magic of photoshop your baby can be magically hanging out with koalas in an Australian gum tree.
New babies are so fragile so it’s vital their neck and head be supported all the time. There are many poses that would be unsafe to attempt in reality. Which is why choosing a professional who understands the safe handling of your baby during newborn photography is so important.
And if at any time you feel uncomfortable during your baby’s photography session, talk to your photographer!
After all, your baby’s safety is more important than any photo.
Want to see some cute and safely posed newborn photos? Check out my gallery here.
5. Are they in the newborn photography business?
Hmm, so you’ve found someone on Facebook who takes amazing baby photos AND they even have a website.
Does this mean they’re the real deal? Well, they could be an amazing photographer and even know how to handle your baby safely but, are they a legitimate business?
The easiest way to find out is through a quick search of ABN lookup.
This will reveal the business name and who it’s registered to.
But if you can’t find your newborn photographer you should carefully consider their legitimacy and if you trust them handling your newborn.
Ready to book an experienced photographer for your baby’s photos?
6. Are ALL their newborn photos amazing?
Brand-new tiny babies are cute, aren’t they? So naturally everyone thinks any baby photo is adorable. But when it comes to a professional newborn photography studio, it’s important to have a good look at the photographer’s images.
For instance, does the photographer have a large gallery of different babies and a variety of poses on their website?
Do their photos look professionally edited, is the lighting soft and are the babies skin tones smooth? How does their work compare to other photographers? When you’re comparing galleries, do a search of newborn photography studios outside your area just to see how their work compares to others.
Do you like their style? There is lots of choice when it comes to newborn photography. Some photographers do lifestyle photography or shoot outside while others have purpose- built studios just for babies.
There’s also the type of props, poses and even styling to consider before choosing your photographer. So, look around, compare a few different photographers, and make sure you find a style, and a photographer, you love.
7. Social proof
Again, this involves a bit of stalking, but in a friendly way. Does your photographer have a bunch of testimonials on their website? This is a great start as it shows you others are happy with the work and their service.
Have a sticky-beak on their Facebook page and see if they have any Facebook reviews. Do they have Google reviews? Google reviews are a great source of feedback as they can’t be removed and aren’t moderated. So, if your photographer has a bunch of 5-star reviews it’s a good indication they’re great at their job.
Also, does your photographer have any fancy awards under their camera strap? It takes a lot of work, practice, and experience to win awards, so if your photographer is ‘award-winning’ you’re in pretty good hands.
8. Important questions to ask your photographer.
I’m always amazed at how many parents never think to ask about vaccinations. I mean parents are careful about keeping their babies away from germs and even ask over-eager relatives to stay away if they’re not vaccinated. But parents rarely ask their newborn photographer if they’re current with their vaccinations.
So, please ask this question! Whooping Cough is devastating to new babies and because vaccinations aren’t compulsory, how do you know your photographer is safe?
It’s such an important issue so don’t be afraid to ask.
Also, do they have COVID plan in place? What are their cleaning policies after a shoot?
In this new era of COVID it’s important for both parents and babies to know the photographer has a hygienic and sanitised studio.
9. Have a chat with your photographer.
Would you let a stranger pick up your baby for a quick cuddle? Of course not! Which is why you should get to know your photographer before you book. It’s such a personal experience letting someone else cuddle, wrap and pose your baby, so you need to feel comfortable with them. So, make a coffee, pick up the phone and get to know the person who’ll be photographing your baby. It’ll help put you at ease and feel comfortable in your choice of photographer.
9 Top tips for finding professional a newborn photography studio.
So, there you go. These are my best tips and advice for finding a professional photographer to capture beautiful memories of your newborn baby.
Hopefully, my advice will make the task of booking your newborn photography less stressful and make you feel comfortable with your choice of photographer.
And if you think I may be the perfect photographer for you and your baby, well I would love to hear from you. My boutique newborn studio is in Wentworth Falls and is filled with gorgeous props, accessories and Holly and Nala, my two fluffy bunnies.
Yep, I love bunnies!
