Documenting a new baby is such a precious and ever so fleeting time. Being able to capture these first moments for a family is such a rewarding job. There are so many newborn photographers to choose from as well! How do you decide?

1. Do you like their style? Each photographer will shoot and edit differently. Make sure to view their portfolio and pay attention to the colors, the emotion, the poses, pay attention to the items included are they props?, etc. This will give you an idea of what your session will look like. Many photographers will post on their blog or social media pages when sharing recent work, so be sure to check there as well!

2. Do you prefer an in-home session or a studio session? Lifestyle and documentary sessions typically take place in-home. However, it can take place at a studio and traditional posed sessions can take place in someone’s home! There are photographers who will travel to you with props and all! If it is at a studio, is it in their home or at another location?

3. How much are you looking to invest? Newborn sessions take hours upon hours from the moment of contact to the final delivery of images. If you look solely at the price tag, you might end up unhappy with the results. You often get what you pay for, so if someone is charging very little that might be a red flag. Not necessarily that they won’t be able to deliver, but be cautious and gather more information so that you are prepared in case they don’t meet your expectations.

4. If it is a posed session does the photographer have all the props you’ll need? If it is a lifestyle session, some photographers like myself will have a closet of clothes that are handpicked to align with their style that are for mom’s and/or babies to borrow. Both you and your newborn are going through lots of changes in your body, so you might not fit your pregnancy clothes or your pre-pregnancy clothes. Your newborn is not going to be this small for very long, so not all families will have newborn outfits on hand. This is one of the reasons why I provide simple onesies and a few sweet pieces including headbands for families to use if they desire.

5. Are they vaccinated and if it is a posed session are they trained to handle your baby?

6. When you have someone you like, gather more information about what a newborn session looks like. Will your photographer use just 1 room? Do they like your home to be clean and free of toys all around? Will they move around furniture and items as needed to get the best lighting? Are the poses more portrait style vs. lifestyle or maybe a mix of it all? Do they provide a wardrobe for moms and babies to borrow? How long is the session?

All of these questions are important when trying to figure out who is the best photographer for you. If a photographer has been in business for years and they are recommended by a friend or online (google, yelp, facebook), then you are probably in good hands!