When welcoming a new baby to your family, capturing those precious early moments through newborn photography becomes a cherished endeavor. The process of finding the perfect newborn photographer can be as intricate as the details of your newborn’s features. In this article I walk you through the steps you should take when finding a newborn photographer, questions to ask your potential photographer(s), and other things to consider.

If you’re wondering if you should book a newborn photography session read this article.

If you want an easily accessible pdf of these 10 questions click here to download a free copy.

Find a style that you love.

There are many ways to photograph your newborn in the early days and each type of session offers its own unique point of view and style. It is important to first know the differences and commonalities between each type when you begin your search for finding a newborn photographer. Some things you might want to ask yourself are:

• Do you prefer the artistry of posed newborn photography?
• Do you like the warmth of lifestyle and do you want these portraits taken in your house?
• Do you want family portraits too or JUST newborn?
• Do you prefer a minimalist style or do you like lots of props and themed setups?

Doing some research and looking at photographers who offer different styles is the best way to narrow down what your true preferences are. This should be your first steps in finding a newborn photographer.

10 Questions to ask photographers

Once you’ve gotten an idea of the style of newborn photography that you prefer you’ll want to start compiling a list of local newborn photographers that offer that style or who you’re interested in talking to and potentially hiring. Once you have a list you can start the conversation to get more details. Before booking anyone I encourage you to ask your potential photographer a few questions to make sure they’ll be the best fit for you.

1. What is their experience and what safety measures do they have in place?

The most important question you can ask your photographer is what experience they have working with newborns. This is especially important if you’re wanting a posed newborn session. While there isn’t any official training or courses required to become a newborn photographer there are many resources and training available. Some good questions to ask include:

• How many years have they been photographing newborns?
• Do they use an assistant?
• Have they taken any safety courses?
• Beyond safety when posing newborns, ask what their policies are for health and sanitation. If they are sick or if they have a child or spouse that is sick the day of your session do they reschedule or move forward with the session?
• What is their cleaning policy with used outfits, props, etc. ?

This article from Accredited Professional Newborn Photographers International is a great guide on the importance of safety measures your photographer should be practicing when photographing newborns.

Here at Goldie Lynn Imagery I have taken several in person and online workshops. I have taken an in person safety course through renowned newborn educator Ana Brandt.

2. Ask for a few full gallery samples.

When looking at a photographer’s website or social media what you’ll be looking at is the best of their best work. It’s important to see a few sample galleries to really know what a complete gallery might look like for you and your family. Ask the photographer if they have a few sample galleries available for you to look at. Give the photographer an idea of your family dynamic and what’s important to you. Ask if they have any sample galleries that would help you better visualize your own newborn and family being photographed by them.

Here is a sample gallery of a newborn session with Goldie Lynn Imagery.

Heres another sample session with an older sibling involved.

3. Ask them what the process of working with them looks like.

There are many different ways photographers approach a session. Some photographers are more hands-on and will do pre and post session meetings to prepare and finalize your session. Others you’ll only see the day of your session. Ask the photographer to give you a simple run down on what you can expect from inquiry to final delivery of images – including turn around time for final images or art work. Knowing how involved the photographer is in the experience can help influence who you want to work with and will help eliminate any future confusion or uncertainties on what to expect when you’re finding a photographer for your newborn session.

4. Ask their availability.

Ask the photographer what their availability looks like. You’ll need to know how soon you might need to make a decision to make sure that they are able to get you on their schedule. Do they only photograph on the weekends – or only during the week? Typically photographers will book your due date on their calendar as a placeholder and your session date will be scheduled after your baby is born. Don’t wait until your baby is born to try and book a session. You will likely run into trouble finding a newborn photographer who can get you on the schedule with that short of notice.

5. What age do they photograph newborns at?

If you’re looking for a studio or posed newborn photographer you’ll likely be told that the best time frame to photograph your newborn is in the first two weeks. However this can vary. If you’re wanting an in-home or lifestyle session the time frame may be a little bigger than two weeks and up to a month or more old. If your baby is already born and past the two week mark you can still get beautiful photos of your baby. Some posed newborn photographers are more strict on who they’ll take on for a “newborn” session but many will still photograph your baby past that two week time frame. It’s important to tell your photographer how old your baby is so they can talk to you about what to expect from a session with an older newborn.

6. Where do sessions take place?

Does your photographer work in a studio space for all of their sessions? Or will they come to your house?

• Lifestyle newborn photography varies. Some photographers have a lifestyle setup in their studio and others strictly shoot in-home sessions. You may even find some who offer both upon your preference.
• Posed newborn sessions are more likely to take place in a studio setting but it isn’t unheard of to find a traveling posed newborn photographer who brings their props and lights into your home to photograph your newborn.

7. What editing / retouching is included?

The level of editing and retouching done is specific to each photographer. Some photographers take a lesser approach and others are more detailed.

• Editing an image includes correcting things such as exposure, color, sharpness, etc to help achieve that photographer’s signature look.
• Retouching is a bit more involved and can include things like backdrop fixing, skin tone correcting, blemish removing, etc. Newborns are notorious for having uneven skin tones, jaundice, and baby acne / flakey skin. With newborn photography retouching can make a significant difference on a final image.

It’s helpful to know ahead of time what can be done and what’s to be expected. This way you can discuss which features you may want to have retouched and which you may want to keep. For a more in depth view at the difference between editing and retouching click here.

8. Are family portraits included?

Not all photographers include family and siblings in their sessions. Some focus solely on your newborn or offer to add family with an additional fee. If family portraits are important to you you’ll want to be sure and ask if family portraits are included.

9. Do they have any baby packages for more than one session? 

A lot of families want to document several stages of their baby’s first year. It’s the biggest year of changes for your child. If you’re interested in maternity and/or milestone sessions too then you should ask if they have any packages for multiple sessions. A lot of families like to document maternity, newborn, 6 month, and 1 year old milestones. Knowing this will help you make a decision when finding a newborn photographer.

10. What is the cost?

Knowing what you might expect to spend is obviously an important factor. The cost for a newborn session varies greatly. The level of experience, time, products, service, and many other factors will influence the total cost. Making a decision on price alone is nearly an impossible decision considering the above. A full service in-studio newborn session is typically a big investment.

If you’re looking for a posed studio newborn photographer it’s best not to book based off of just who’s least expensive. It is important to work with someone who is experienced and who will safely handle your newborn. If the cost of the session sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

If you want an easily accessible pdf of these 10 questions click here to download a free copy.

Other things to consider

Level of service

Does your photographer include a full level of service? Some photographers will include in person design consultations, reveal appointments, professional hair & makeup, and other services as part of the experience.

• Consultations are a great opportunity to meet your photographer, possibly see the studio, and go over your session goals, planning, and so much more. Building a relationship and meeting your photographer before your session can help ease a lot of pre session anxiety by knowing what to expect and having prepared with them ahead of time
• In person, reveal appointments helps elementate decision fatigue and overwhelm. Having a professional opinion and perspective is invaluable when choosing your final images and much less stressful than trying to do it on your own. This is often also a time your photographer might assist in selecting products to display and preserve your images so you don’t have to go through the trouble and headache of sourcing products on your own.
• Some photographers include album designs and wall gallery mockups. This helps you visualize your images before you send them off to print and helps with making decisions on how you want to display and preserve your images.
• Some photographers include professional hair and/or makeup for their sessions. This is a huge time saver the day of your session and is a great confidence boost. These are special photos that you’re going to look back on forever. This little extra touch can make a huge difference.

Reviews

A great way to get a peak behind the curtain of what it is like to work with a photographer is to read reviews. Seeing what other people loved about working with their photographer can give you great insight on that photographer’s strengths. If you know what’s most important to you in your experience, reading others’ experiences will help with making a decision.

Conclusion

I hope with this comprehensive guide, you’ve been given some guidance on finding a newborn photographer for you. This is a special moment in your lives and this decision influences the memories you have to hold onto and look back on as your newborn grows. You want to choose someone you feel comfortable and confident in, whose style you love, and to overall enjoy the experience of your baby’s first portrait session. If you’re unsure if you want to schedule newborn photos I would encourage you to read this article.

For more information on a newborn session with Goldie Lynn Imagery contact me here. I would love to chat with you!