4 Questions to Ask When You're Choosing a Newborn Photographer
It can be so overwhelming choosing the perfect newborn photographer for your brand-new baby. You've spent hours on Google and the mommy groups on Facebook, you've asked for recommendations from friends, colleagues, and family — and now you have a list of three or four newborn photographers whose work you love, and who are within your budget. Now what? How on earth will you narrow it down?
Here are a few questions you can ask each of them, to help you choose your perfect newborn photographer:
1. How will you keep my baby safe?
This sounds like a harsh question, right? But it's so important! For most newborn photographers, your baby's safety is the number one priority, but we all go about safety in different ways, so ask this question to make sure your definition of "safety" matches theirs. And don't be afraid to be specific! Ask about posing safety, illness/vaccine protocols, allergies, studio cleaning, etc.
(This has been sort of a hot topic in the newborn photography world the past few weeks, as one very popular newborn photographer has been sharing videos of her appallingly unsafe posing methods, garnering millions of views. So always, always ask about safety.)
2. What's included in my session?
Your photographer will likely have lots of package info on their website, but if anything isn't clear, ask for clarification before you book. Some of us are "shoot and burn" photographers, meaning the retouched digital images are included in your session fee. Other, more upscale, photographers use an IPS model, which means the session fee is separate from any digital files or wall art (or other art) you might want. One business model isn't better than the other, but it's important to know what you'll be getting before you book.
3. How does the booking/scheduling process work?
Even with a scheduled C-section or induction, babies can (and often do) arrive whenever they want. So how do you and your photographer choose a session date in advance? Some photographers choose a date ten days after your due date, while others write you in the book in pencil, then wait until baby is born to choose a session date. I use the second method: clients go on the books on their due date, then once they've let me know baby's arrived, we choose the session date when baby is between 5 and 18 days old. Check with your photographer before booking to make sure you're comfortable with how they schedule sessions.
4. What if my baby or toddler doesn't cooperate? What happens if I need to reschedule? Can we include our family dog?
There are SO MANY other questions you might want to ask, and it's always such a good idea to ask these questions at or before booking, rather than waiting until the night before your session. We photographers love client input and questions, so ask away!
To ask me a question about booking, check out my FAQs, or send me a message HERE.
