Hello, everyone, I’m back. I really enjoy writing to you, and this time I want to start with a question: have you ever thought about what to look into when choosing a newborn photographer for your precious baby?

The visit to the photo studio is usually one of the first events that happen in the baby’s days-short life. That little cute baby will have, for the very first time outside the hospital, a stranger touching his or her tiny and delicate body. That alone hit me hard when my kids were born. It’s such a responsibility to deal with their frailty. I hope you consider this angle and make the best choice to your newborn baby.

So, without further ado, here are the tips on how to choose your newborn photographer:

Each newborn photographer has a different style, and many times the differences lie in small details. Check the photographer’s website and make sure his or her style speaks to your heart. Think 20 years from now, try to emulate your reactions to the pictures and answer a simple question: do you still find them beautiful? You can search for more romanticism, for a more detailed approach, or for a minimalist style. By the way, this last one, where the baby is the main focus and accessories are shy of drawing too much attention, is certainly the most timeless style.

One way to find out about the photographer’s level of experience is by looking how he or she positions the baby during the session. Most times there will be one or more pictures in their social media portfolio that can help you identify that. Thinking about that, look for weird poses, where the baby’s head looks awkward, maybe pending to one specific side, creating an image that feels incomplete. That means the photographer is a beginner in this artistic specialty. So, if that’s what you don’t want to find, what should you look for? Simplicity and perfection. Look for simple poses shot with technical precision, resulting in sharp and beautiful images. Another important point to be observed is the photographer’s consistency regarding the quality of his or her work. Professionals that post amazing photos one day, and not so great photos the next day should raise a flag. Consistency is the ultimate proof of technical ability. Doing great once in a while can be the result of pure luck; doing great all the time cannot.

Taking your newborn to a nice and cozy studio is a much better option than having the photographer coming to your home. Let me explain why.

At your home, the photographer will most likely face circumstances out of his or her control, things like finding a good space to assemble the equipment, props and accessories. Inside the studio, everything was designed to capture the good light and avoid the bad one. At home, that is usually not true.

Another issue is the temperature. Newborn babies cannot stand a cold room, specially when naked, and they don’t feel comfortable if it’s too warm either. Noise coming from the neighborhood can also be an issue, and that includes the siblings playing with their toys, the pets, the TV and much more. Every obstacle usually leads to less time actually photographing and to stressing the baby. And that is the last thing you want. When you hire a photographer that has thought about all these issues, you will promptly understand that everything around you and your baby in the studio was meant to keep your precious child calm and preferably sleeping, while you relax from the duties of parenthood, at least for a couple of hours.

Let’s be honest: parents freak out about hygiene when dealing with their newborns. That goes from sterilizing each object the baby touches to screening who can and who cannot touch the precious baby. And that surely makes a big difference. And how can you know about a photograph’s habits regarding safety and hygiene? Check how many sessions he or she books a day, ask about the procedures adopted for cleaning and disinfecting the studio. And do not forget to ask about the Covid-19 measures. With all that information in hands you will be able to better assess whatever lies ahead of you and your little one.

5. Price