How to Select a Newborn Photographer | Culpeper, VA Newborn Baby Photographer

Selecting a newborn photographer is a big decision. I've put together a few tips on how to select the right newborn photographer for your family and precious new addition.

1. Book Early! For most newborn photographers, the desired age (for so many reasons) to photograph a newborn, is before your baby is 3 weeks old. Once baby arrives that 3 weeks will go by so quickly, so be sure to have this checked off your to do list while you are still pregnant. If you wait, you risk the chance that your chosen photographer will be all booked up and may have to either turn away your session or photograph your baby when he or she is older and no longer that squishy "newborn" age.  

2. Style:  If you LOVE soft, neutral, organic images but the photographer shows bright, bold, colorful patterns on their website, chances are you may not be happy with your final gallery of images. Take time to pay attention to the way their images look.  Are they crisp and traditional or have hazy treatments?  What style do you prefer? While looking for a newborn photographer, pay attention to their portfolio. What colors do they use? Do you see the kind of props & accessories you like?  For the most part, what you see is what you get, don’t settle for someone whose style doesn't fit yours.  Photographers are artists and have "a look."  Make sure it meshes with what you want to look back on 10, 20 or 50 years from now.   These are your memories of your precious new baby.  Don't settle.

3. Price:  Price should not be be the deciding factor while selecting a newborn photographer. Of course your budget is important, but it is never a good idea to hire a photographer simply because they are the least expensive. A new baby is a major life event, just like a wedding. Your growing family deserves to be celebrated and preserved for years to come. Those photographs are an investment which will only increase in value as time goes on.  These are images you can not go back and redo.  You don't ever want to look at them and say "I wish I had....."  They are important and should be treated as such.

4. Experience/Safety: This is soooo important (I should have put it as #1). Are the photographers you are researching professionals or hobbyists? Do they have a legal business? What are their qualifications? Do they have references? How long have they been photographing newborns? Have they taken training in newborn safety and posing? Be sure you know that the person you are going to hand your newborn over to is qualified & trustworthy.  After all, this is your new baby you are putting in someone else's hands.

5. Communication/Personality: Ask lots of questions and pay attention to how and when the photographer answers them. You and your photographer should be on the same page about all the big and little details of your session as well as the photographers rates & offerings. You should have a pretty clear understanding of the whole process from start to finish before ever booking your session. Do you mesh well with their personality?  If you do it right, you won't just hire this photographer for one session, they will become your family photographer in the future.  Do you feel comfortable speaking with them?  If you don't feel comfortable or they do not meet your expectations on responses, chances are you won't feel comfortable enough to trust them with your newborn and family as they grow.

A little research and a lot of thought should go into the decision of hiring a newborn photographer or really any photographer.  You can't put a price tag on memories.  It’s best to start by figuring out what you want first, then find the perfect photographer for your family. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.  Even if I'm not the right photographer for you, I may be able to help you find the perfect fit.

xoxoxo,

Cindy