Hiring a Newborn Photographer: What to Look For

We are happy to welcome to our friend, Tampa Newborn Photographer, Melanie Amparo, as our guest blogger this month sharing her tips on what to look for when hiring a newborn photographer:

CONGRATS! Your life is about to get a whole lot sweeter (and challenging)! You’ve landed here because you’re looking at hiring a newborn photographer in Tampa, to freeze time for you.

Searching for a photographer- an artist – to create something custom and unique for you can be overwhelming. Every photographer offers different skills and experience as well as a unique style of their own. Here are five things to look for when hiring your newborn photographer: 

Session Type

Be sure the photographer you’re looking for offers the type of session that suits your style. There are three different types of newborn sessions: Fresh 48, Lifestyle and Posed.

Fresh 48 newborn sessions are done within 48 hours of birth. These sessions take a documentary-style approach. The goal is to document all those tiny fresh details and life as a new family.

Lifestyle newborn sessions are done in the comfort of your own home. These are laid-back sessions to document your interaction with your new babe.

Posed newborn sessions are those perfectly styled and coordinated sessions that usually occur when your baby is between 6-14 days old and can take anywhere from 2-4 hours.

Style

When looking at a photographer’s portfolio, look at both the shooting style and the editing style.

Can you imagine your family in the images? Does the photographer’s style reflect your own style?  Would you hang those images on your wall?

My style is natural, organic, and warm with lots of earthy and neutral tones. I’ve had lots of clients book me that will tell me they want pastel colors and an overall light and airy vibe. As much as I want to make sure all of my clients are completely satisfied with their images, I won’t change my shooting or editing style. It’s the client’s job to make sure they review the photographer’s portfolio to be sure their styles mesh.

Experience

Your newborn is only this small once. You can’t get this time back, so when looking to invest in a newborn photographer, it’s important you hire someone who has the experience and knows how to photograph this once-in-a-lifetime moment.

A professional comes with knowledge and experience to manage different lighting situations. For example: if your location is too dark or too bright, managing space issues by switching to the proper lens, having the right equipment and props, knowing how to handle newborns safely, knowing how to photograph postpartum and sometimes self-conscious mamas, knowing the best time of day to photograph children and babies to avoid meltdowns, and knowing how to edit a newborn’s skin. These are some of the benefits of hiring an experienced newborn photographer.

Safety

When it comes to your brand new baby, you SHOULDN’T trust just anyone.

Posed newborn photography can be dangerous if your baby isn’t positioned and posed properly. Knowing how to safely handle and pose a baby takes time, training, and hands-on experience. 

There are so many trends in photography and a visit to Pinterest can show babies in some unsafe situations. You know that popular but unnatural pose of a baby holding their head up with their hands? Well, that takes three different photos to make one beautiful photo. Baby’s safety is always my number one priority.

Pricing

Remember the phrase “you get what you pay for”? Well, it is so relevant when it comes to newborn photography. Do you want the more skilled and experienced photographer or the one who is just starting out and has little to no skill working with your brand new baby?

Photographers are priced very differently. It ranges depending on the costs of doing business, insurance, the service they offer, the experience they have, the equipment they use and the quality of their products. 

Be sure to find out what you are getting for your investment. Will you only receive digital images? Do they offer prints, albums or wall art? Do you have to provide anything for the session? Is there a hairstylist and/or makeup artist they work with? These are all things to consider in relation to the price and what you want/can spend.

Set realistic expectations and understand that for a photographer you absolutely love, you may have to pay more. This is why you should begin your search early! 

In conclusion, hiring a newborn photographer is a big investment. Take the time to look through several newborn photographers’ portfolios and find the one that suits your needs perfectly.

For more information on my newborn sessions, fill out a contact form or email me at melanie@melanieamparo.com.

Also check out this article: Why is Postpartum Support Important