What should you pay attention to while choosing your photographer?
This guide is an extension to an article ‘How to find your newborn photographer’.
Sometimes we are so overwhelmed with beautiful pictures on the internet that finding your own photographer might be a little bit challenging and your focus can be lost in your feelings. So I prepared a little guide to help you be safe and confident in choosing the right one. Bear in mind it is my own experience as a mom and as a photographer.
Pay attention to:
1. Is a photographer insured or not and did he/she have a professional training or not?! Trust me behind each wonderful newborn photo hides lots of practice, safe posing training, responsibility and huge effort to make baby comfortable during their photoshoot. So it would be amazing if your photographer would have done a professional training too.
2. What the arrangement, between you and a photographer, includes? Especially I found the most common point is, whether my baby’s photos will be or will not be posted on the photographers website and social media. Some parents would like to keep their photos privet so always pay attention to this part as usually it says that photos will be used in public social media. But please do not put away your chosen photographer because of this point there is always possibility to negotiate this subject and the photographer most likely will be willing to help you with that.
3. Please understand, all photographers are different and they have different styles. Not all of them would like to do something different from their already established style. So if you know that photographer X is amazing but he/she hasn’t got in his portfolio photos with your preferred style it's a high possibility that X will politely decline your request but also high possibility that they will recommend who would be best for you, as most of us (photographers) are in professional communities and are more than happy to give you recommendation for the best one.
4. Do you know the saying? 'if you want to be professional, start being professional in one thing first'... so sometimes a huge part plays - what particular photographer offers. If it's everything, like starting with nature, sport and animals and ending with family, newborns, birthdays and even weddings please do a bit deeper research... look for reviews. As not always photographer who's amazing in making documentary photos, like from different social events, will be as good in taking newborn photos, and of course other way round. But there are always exceptions, and there are geniuses in the world.
5. Price packages and what they include? Some photographers already include images and products in the price and packages they offer, and some charge only for a photoshoot session and afterwards you have a viewing where you choose your favorite photos and products where you'll be charged separately. So please pay attention to this detail. Both options are good so do not panic, this point is just to make sure that there will be no misunderstanding and afterwards unnecessary disappointment.
6. Are photography props included or not? Not all photographers offer prop usage, so please check if they offer this option. Photography props might be newborn outfits, layers, flowers, and for maternity shoots, for example, outfits for photoshoots, accessories and other materials.
7. When to book your photo session? Trust me, we really do not like to disappoint you, so please make sure you pay attention when to book you photoshoot. There are always busy times of the year and as much as we would like to book you in we just simply physically can't do it it when it's last minute call. That's why all photographers ask you to book in advance to avoid any confusion, stress and disappointment.