The very first portraits of your precious little one are priceless, that’s a given. You not only want to choose a photographer who’s images and style you love, but also someone who is trained to safely handle and pose your tiny little angel. You also want to make sure to choose someone who will provide you with a quality service as well as options for your portraits. Here are some questions you should ask any photographer you interview for your baby’s newborn session.
What is your training or experience in the safety and posing of newborns?
It is important to choose a seasoned professional when choosing a photographer for your newborn’s portraits. Someone who understands the safety procedures necessary to capture amazing images, but also to first and foremost,protect your baby.
What steps do you follow to ensure the comfort of my baby during the session?
Does the photographer have an adequate and appropriate space to properly heat the area where your baby will be? Does she have safe and industry standard props?
What do you expect of us, the parents?
How does the photographer expect you to prepare for the session, where will you be during the session, and what can you expect after the session?
What is your procedure for viewing and ordering of our prints and products?
Photographers have many different ways in which they deliver the finished portraits. Will you view your images online or in person? What time frame can you expect before viewing? Will you be able to order custom products, prints, and announcements? These are all important questions to ask before choosing a photographer.
What age is best to schedule my newborn’s images and how soon should I book the session?
Many photographers have preferred ages they like to work with. Most will want to schedule your baby’s portraits within the first week or so after birth. You’ll also need to ask the photographer how far in advance you need to schedule your session.
Do you have props, wraps, headwraps etc to choose from for the portraits?
Unless you want to purchase all of these things yourself for the session, choosing a photographer with a healthy selection of backdrops, wraps, blankets, etc is a wise choice.
Do you do composites for difficult poses?
This reflects back to question number 1, any seasoned photographer knows that many times a composite (the putting together of more than one image) is required to safely capture some poses. The safety of your baby should always come first.
What is your editing process?
Does the photographer provide you with a stunning gallery of fully edited images or are you going to have to sort through hundreds of unedited shots straight from the camera and attempt to imagine the final product? Does the photographer correct redness and blemishes on the skin in a natural way? Along the same lines, you should be viewing the photographer’s entire gallery on her website. Are the images, clear, crisp and properly lit? Are the images consistent or is the style all over the place? Are the babies posed and framed well in the shot? A good photographer will not have images of babies faces buried in blankets, the babies will be modestly posed, their faces will not be covered by hands or props.
What are your options for including family in the portraits?
Will siblings, parents etc. be included in the session? Some photographers prefer to work solely with newborns as their specialty or may not have space for additional subjects in their photographs.
Do you have insurance?
Any professional photographer will carry liability insurance just as any business would. Choosing a true professional is important when you are trusting them with the safety of your baby.
Notice that I did not include any questions about pricing in this list. When you are choosing a photographer for your newborn baby’s portraits, the cost of the session should be one of the lesser important questions. The safety, quality and service the professional provides should always come first. And professional photographer who is experienced, trained, and provides consistent high quality portraits is worth her weight in gold.
