For baby photography, St Albans, welcome to Newborn Love! We are a specialist newborn studio and photograph babies between 6 – 14 days.
This blog is to help new parents learn about newborn photography so that they can make an informed decision.
What are your goals?
Firstly, consider what is important to you and why. Why do you want to visit a professional instead of taking the photographs yourself? Consider why the photographs are important to you. What do you want to walk away with and how will you use the images? For example, are you looking for tangible artwork to put on the walls? Or are digital copies more important to you? All photographers have something different to offer so be clear about what you are hoping for before starting your search.
Home v’s Studio
Secondly, you have the option of going to a studio or having a photographer visit you at home. Consider which you would prefer. you may feel nervous about visiting a studio with a new baby and would prefer to be at home. However, you may like the experience of a studio and the opportunity to sit and relax. In our experience, shoots at home mean that you feel tempted to get jobs done instead of sitting and enjoying the experience. For baby photography, St Albans, Newborn Love offer studio only sessions. For this reason, we create a home-from-home experience where we can really pamper you and let you relax.
General v’s Specialist
Many photographers will offer newborn photography as part of many other session types. These tend to be ‘generalist’ photographers. ‘Specialist’ photographers focus solely on one genre meaning they are ‘experts’ in the field. A specialist is more likely to have had the training to ensure they are working safely with your new baby and know the signs to look out for that indicate a problem. When it comes to your brand new baby, we strongly suggest choosing a specialist for your peace of mind. We always like to draw attention to the fact that you probably wouldn’t allow someone untrained to cut your hair, repair your car or build an extension so why would you let someone untrained photograph your baby? There is, of course, a ‘trade-off’ here because you are likely to find a specialist has higher prices due to their level of expertise.
Budget in advance
Welcoming a new baby is already an expensive time and this may put you off of visiting a newborn studio. If you start planning in advance, it is possible to put money aside for this. Some of our clients told us that this is what they did when they had booked their session. Other clients have said they asked family/friends to contribute to a gift voucher at their baby shower.
Quantity v’s Quality
Be realistic about the number of images you want to walk away with. Some photographers will focus on quantity and show up to 50 images. However, a lot of these images will look the same and it can actually trick you into thinking you are getting a good deal when you are given all of the images. Other photographers will show you fewer images. Firstly as not to overwhelm you with choice and secondly so that each of the images is unique. Many people feel they will want all of the images but it is not always necessary. A few high-quality images printed on the wall is often a far better choice than a collection of 50 similar images that you will probably never print.
Cost v’s Experience
Newborn photography is possible one genre where the price should not be your only consideration. it may surprise you to know that the newborn photography industry is completely unregulated. That means not all photographers are trained in the delicate task of handling and posing your brand new baby. Welcoming a baby is a very special time and reserving a session with a professional studio means that you can expect a fantastic experience.
When to book
You can book as soon as you have had your 3-month scan. In fact, this is highly recommended as newborn studios take lots of bookings in advance in order to guarantee your session within those first 14 days. Waiting until baby arrives means that you may have a limited choice of studios as they are likely to be fully booked already.
If you would like to find out more about how to reserve your sessions, please get in touch
