you & your babe
Congratulations!! This is such an exciting time!
Whether you’ve just had a baby or currently pregnant, you may be looking to hire a professional photographer to capture some beautiful photos of your precious newborn bub, BUT you have nooo idea where to start or who to choose!
I know it can be completely overwhelming trying to find the perfect photographer amongst the sea of ‘professional’ newborn photographers that flood the internet and social media these days, and your baby is only this little once, so choosing the right photographer to capture this ever so fleeting time in your child’s life will be a decision that you won’t want to make lightly.
Below I have some must-haves and tips on choosing the right newborn photographer for you and your babe.
The most important thing is to find a photographer whose style you LOVE, one who is EXPERIENCED in photographing newborns and one who also fits YOUR needs. Easier said than done, right? I’ve put together some helpful tips and important information to take into consideration when deciding on the photographer who is right for YOU!
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Choose an experienced newborn photographer. How many years have they been in business? What training have they invested in? Remember you are trusting them to not only take photographs, but also handle, pose and care for your very new baby. Your baby’s safety must be the first priority. Gosh most of your family haven't even held or spent this amount of time with your babe yet! So experience is so important!!
Kirra Photography has been photographing newborn babies for over 9 years. Mikaela has been trained by the best newborn photographers in Australia and overseas, as well as completed specific baby and child first aid training and all training is updated annually.
Choose a newborn photographer who’s photographs you love and connect with. Have a good look through their instagram, facebook and website? Do their photographs connect with? Do you feel the emotion when you look at them? Do they make you smile?
Kirra Photography is dedicated to providing natural, authentic photographs with a beautiful range documented…Those true moments and connection between your family are captured, you can feel the love and wonder, you can smell the newborn freshness and feel the squishy weight of your little one in your arms when you look back on these photographs.
Choose a newborn photographer that is insured and registered. Many claim to be an ‘experienced’ business, however are running a hobby or have just started out. Everyone starts somewhere, but remember this is your precious bub and their once in a lifetime photos you are trusting the photographer with. Kirra Photography holds comprehensive insurance as well as professional organization registrations, business registration, up to date vaccinations (including Whooping Cough and COVID) and a Working with Children Check. Kirra Photography is a sustainable business with practices in place to ensure we are here for generations to come!
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Choose a newborn photographer who will edit all of your beautiful photographs so they are the best quality for you! Kirra Photography individually edits each and every photograph in your gallery. If there are bruises or scratches, blemishes or red marks, I will remove them from the photographs. Lint on clothing, hair a little frizzy, a stain on a top... none of these need to be worried about! Small details on your little babe such as eyelashes and little fingers and toes are defined so they don't get lost in the photograph. There are also some special photographs where we may need some photoshop magic to ensure your babe is safe at all times - like if you want a photo in your motorbike helmet or on your guitar. Your final images will be absolutely divine!
Choose a newborn photographer that will offer you a full and flexible session. Kirra Photography only schedules one newborn session per day and all sessions are untimed - we never ever want to rush anyone, especially a new babe and parents who have just experienced labour & birth (and sleepless nights). There will be plenty of time for feeding and cuddles. Everything you need is provided, including the wraps, headbands, beanies and natural props, as well as outfit styling guidance and access to the studio wardrobe where you can borrow outfits for the whole family.
The studio is comfy and relaxing with refreshments and snacks, a couch to rest on and a TV to watch. In addition we also include a complimentary maternity experience... more on that soon!
Choose a high quality photographer. Are the photographer’s images on their website of good quality? Or are they badly lit, out of focus, ‘over-edited’ or not edited at all? Are they consistent in style – or do they seem to be all over the place? Do their newborn galleries show a diverse portfolio with lots of different faces – or are you seeing the same baby and family repeatedly – evidence that they may not have done many photo shoots, perhaps an amateur who is portfolio building? Don’t get me wrong – there is nothing wrong with amateurs as, again, we all start somewhere – but it’s those beginners who falsely advertise as ‘professionals’ (offering cheap prices yet delivering sub-par service and photographs) – that are a real concern.
What goes into your photography package price?
- time, talent and experience of your photographer
- the studio including everything in it and all the costs to run that studio like heating, electricity, insurance, etc.
- the equipment needed to document the photos... a professional camera, lens, batteries, SD cards, computer, hard drives/cloud storage, beanbag, lighting, props, outfits, and so much more.
- business costs to make sure the business is registered and sustainable including insurance, business registration and legal
- and so much more!
Maybe even car running costs for travel and definitely laundry and cleaning costs.
- AND of course your finished photographs like a USB, prints and a keepsake box.
“Sooo how much is it going to cost me?!” I hear you ask! Whilst price will be a factor, it shouldn’t be the first or only thing to consider when making such an important decision (as we’ve just covered in the important tips above!).
Ever heard of the saying “you get what you pay for”? Choosing and entrusting the right photographer for your baby’s first photo session (or even wedding or family photos for that matter) is no different.
Photography is an investment and the experience & photographs will last a lifetime.
Have you thought about maternity photographs?
This can be another consideration when choosing a photographer. Does your photographer offer maternity photos? Do they come in a package with your newborn photos (potentially saving you some money)? Do you love their style of maternity photographs? Are partners and/or children included? Will they have outfits available for you to borrow? (Such a bonus when this may be a dress you would only wear once!)
Kirra Photography offers maternity photographs complimentary with all Newborn Packages and Collections. Yes, that means there is no extra charge to document your baby bump and this amazing time in your lives anticipating the arrival of your little one.
Why do I offer it free? Well, so many mamas don't put themselves first and would be hesitant to spend money on documenting these moments - even if they desperately wanted to. Others are a little cautious about being in front of the camera and some just have never even considered it! Maternity photographs are so important though. You will never ever have these moments back and I promise you in a few months, years and decades you will want them... you will look at these photos and be whisked back to the feelings of your babe wriggling around in you, remember the gorgeous bump you had, the anticipation you felt at their upcoming arrival and the strength of your body - because you are damn incredible mama! You deserve this!
Remember to book your newborn photos as early as possible. I have clients who contact me when they find out they are expecting! This is great, they know their session is secured and it is one less thing to worry about later on when all you want to do is rest before bub arrives. Even if your bub has arrived, please still contact your photographer, as some, like Kirra Photography, do have a cancellations list and may be able to fit you… but if possible, we still suggest booking early in your pregnancy to avoid missing out.
Don't forget! You can ask questions of the photographers you are looking at. Ask them for their experience and training, their business registration status, do they have insurance and how do they run their sessions?
You can also find out more about Kirra Photography's sessions, go behind the scenes and ask questions by exploring our "Experiences" on the website.
Want to know more about Mikaela? Visit here.