What to look for when you are hiring a newborn photographer -
Choosing your newborn photographer can be an overwhelming experience. You will find a wide range of pricing and styles as you peruse the internet in search for the perfect newborn photographer. It can be a daunting task but I'm here to help!
EXPERIENCE
Newborn photography is a highly specialized, acquired skill that takes many years and tons of patience to master. Newborn photographers are still constantly learning with every session, as every baby is different so it's important to choose wisely when hiring a newborn photographer. My first piece of advice is to look for someone with a lot of experience under their belt. I have been photographing newborns for over a decade (and in many different ways/scenarios) so I've seen it all. I would definitely avoid someone just starting out if you want excellent, consistent, beautiful images. This time is fleeting and they will only be this little once. And yes, I've had people book with me after a bad session with an inexperienced photographer. I photograph newborns ideally between 7-14 days so it's not huge window of opportunity.
LOCATION
Let's get the obvious out of the way, hire someone that is local to you. Most of my clients reside in Chesterfield, Richmond, Glenn Allen, Midlothian etc. but I have had people come from all over the state of Virginia. If you really like someone's style it can be worth it to travel a bit.
STYLE
Figure out what style you want - There are two types of newborn photographers. Studio based photographers and photographers that will come to your home (they can either be a mixture of lifestyle type photography or 'bring' the studio with them and do a posed session). I am a studio based photographer and do posed sessions. Lifestyle photography is very different and focuses more on family and real life events in an artistic way. Posed sessions focus more on the details of baby and cute poses!
SPECIALIZATION
Avoid photographers that usually shoot different genre's, no matter how good they are at them Newborn's are a completely different ballgame. Look for someone that mostly specializes in newborns and has a large portfolio of different babies.
ARTISTRY
When you look at someones portfolio does it 'speak' to you? Do you like the poses, colors, props etc in the artists portfolio? I have more of a timeless, classic and clean style. You want to enjoy these images FOREVER. I like muted tones and monochromatic themes. If you love multiple colors and lots of different scences with complicated backdrops be sure to find someone that has that in their portfolio.
THE DETAILS!
When looking at a portfolio, does baby look comfortable? If a photographer has a lot of smiling baby. images that means baby was comfortable and in a deep sleep during the session. This also means the photographer knows what signs to look for to have the patience to capture a smile. Another sure sign to know if baby is relaxed is by looking at their hands. This is the hardest part of newborn photography... it's the golden standard to have baby's hands flat and relaxed, it doesn't happen at all times but this tiny detail can help you know if baby is comfortable.
PRICING
These images are FOREVER so keep this in mind while thinking about price. I would personally avoid anything that has the word affordable in the description (this goes for most things I would purchase and yes, I've learned this the hard way) You want beautiful, artistic, breathtaking.. not cheap.
SAFETY TRAINING, AWARDS, LICENSING?
This industry is unregulated so if someone is advertising they are licensed and have safety training it doesn't mean anything. I've had mentorships and have taken many classes but there really is no official certificate for anything. My many years of experience speak for themselves, I've never had an accident and take many precautions for everyones safety. Awards usually don't hold a lot of weight either.
This is just scratching the surface of what to look for, let me know your thoughts or if you have any questions. I'd be happy to make a real technical list if anyone is interested :)