As a professional newborn photographer of course I am going to say you should get a professional newborn photographer to take photos of your new little bundle of joy. I am not just saying this as a photographer, if it’s not me that captures these photos for you, I really do believe those first precious weeks as a newborn should be photographed. Do your research and hire the best newborn photographer for you. Here’s my reasons why i think you should hire a professional newborn photographer.
TIME
I know everyone says it but time really does fly by so quick! From the moment they are born to having cuddles with mummy and daddy, each day they are growing and adjusting into their routines. It really is a small window for Newborn photography, during those first two weeks this is a stage when we can capture those cute curled up positions and all their tiny features. They will never be a newborn again and you wont be able to recapture this stage. Through the sleepless nights and changing all those nappies your newborn will be a toddler before you know it. Every Newborn photoshoot is different and parents will like different styles. So it’s best to research newborn photographers near you that you like their style and you can imagine these photos hanging on your walls.
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
You could get just anyone to take some photos of your newborn but then do you want to risk this? Any newborn photographer should be fully trained in the safety of handling your little one, it is hard work and takes a lot of skill and patience. I have been on Newborn photography workshops and have been trained in this specific area, the safety of your baby always comes first when posing them. I would say after most/every newborn shoot, most parents say and comment on how they didn’t realise how much hard work goes into producing your beautiful images and are always so grateful. That one image that you see that you love hasn’t been made in a minute, it’s an art work of settling the baby, posing the baby and being creative and having a vision of what types of images the parents want. I specialise in Newborn photography but most of all the most important thing is experience in holding and settling newborns. I love my job and feel so lucky when parents choose me as their newborn photographer.
EDITING
Editing is a very large work load for photographers and from one newborn session it can be up to 10 hours of editing work or sometime more. This editing work doesn’t include the time it has taken me to upload the images, back up the images and then finally go through and select the images to edit. Including all of that work together the process can take anything between 11-14 hours. When parents say to me they are worried about the scratches or flakey skin on their babies skin, I tell them not worry as I can edit these out. I use photoshop to do all of my editing and have become very skilled with it over the years and will put 100% effort to the final part of producing your beautiful photos!
PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT
These days our phones do have good cameras but that’s it they are just good, they nowhere near produce the quality of image a profession DSLR does. I Nikon cameras and lenses and studio lighting. I also edit . on my Mac pro or i mac desktop which are collaborated for the best quality. I also have a large selection of props and accessories for you to chose from. My newborn sessions are tailored to what the parents want and I always ask what colours and props they prefer.
YOU CAN BE IN THE PHOTOS
Many parents don’t feel up to being in the photos. This is understandable in these early stages as you have just come home with a newborn and are tired. The last thing on your mind is wanting to be in front of the camera. I do feel it’s important at this stage, to try and get a few beautiful images of you and your newborn before this newborn stage passes.
I always try and make these images relaxed and natural to put you at ease. Even if we take some images and you decide you don’t like them and you don’t include them in your selection. It’s better to have taken some and you not like them, than regret that you wasn’t in any photos and the moment as gone. The first couple of weeks will fly by and while you are at home with the baby, usually it’s hard to get some photos of you all together as a family.
