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11 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Newborn Photographer

Published 14th February 2019

If you’re a new parent, or mum or dad in waiting, then it’s likely that you’ll be thinking about documenting the early days with your bundle of joy.

Spending most of their time sleeping and feeding, babies are surprisingly suited to baby photography, since they can easily maneuverer into cute positions for beautiful photos.

Questions to Ask a Newborn Photographer

But when it comes to organising newborn baby photography to capture your little one, what do you need to know, and where do you even begin?

To give you a head start, we’ve compiled a list of questions to ask a newborn photographer before you commit to their services.

Our top 11 questions to ask:

What are your professional qualifications and experience?
What precautions do you take to ensure my baby is safe in your studio?
What safety measures are in place with regards to carrying out photos?
Do you have an assistant or ‘spotter’?
What is the best age for my baby to be to capture the best images?
Do you have any recent reviews and testimonials?
What should I bring on the day?
I have a particular idea or theme – can you work to that?
What is the turnaround time for the photos – and how many final images do you provide?
I don’t want my photos to be shared on your social media pages or website; is there a privacy disclaimer in place?
Do you have availability for my due date?

While these are important we have detailed more questions or areas to consider asking and thinking about when hiring a newborn photographer.

Safety First

Before deciding on your photographer, it’s worth doing some research as part of due diligence to understand their experience and safety measures in place.

Your newborn baby is delicate and vulnerable and you need to be reassured and confident with the photographer you chose.

If your baby is premature, this is important to mention, since not all newborn photographers are trained, or feel comfortable with, handling very early arrivals. This can be quite common, and is worth flagging if appropriate.

Here’s a few more questions to ask:

What age babies do you work with (do you photograph premature babies?)
Do you have first aid training or any other training with babies?
What are your professional qualifications and experience?
Have you photographed twins before – is this something you feel suited to?
How long have you been a newborn baby photographer?
I’m worried that my baby will get cold throughout the shoot – how do you keep them warm?
Who else will be there on the day from your team?
What should I do if I don’t feel comfortable with the photos being taken on the day, or if my baby seems unsettled?
What precautions do you take to ensure my baby is safe in your studio?
What safety measures are in place with regarding to carrying out photos?

Portfolio

Take time to go through their website and view their website, look at their social media accounts for latest photos as here you can see a bigger picture as it were, of their style and overall type of photos and props used. Instagram and Pinterest are great for this and certainly worth checking out for the photographer you are looking at if they have them. Alternatively we feature a wide breadth of photographers on our inspirational Instagram and Pinterest boards for you to browse through.

If you like their style, then look for reviews and ask for any testimonials, this is an investment and you want to ensure you get great photos, but more importantly your newborn is in safe hands.

The Logistics

It’s important to plan your day in advance. As a new parent, you’ll be lugging twice your own body weight around with you, so organisation is key! This includes whether you’re allowed a guest for support, the logistics of getting to and from the venue, and any extras that you might need to bring on the day.

If you’re still pregnant and booking photography in advance of baby’s arrival, flag this up with your newborn photographer in case you need to reschedule.

Questions to ask:

Do you have different times I can book for sessions?
Where are your studios based?
I have twins – does this change costs/timings?
Is there nearby parking, is it free?
What should I bring on the day?
Is it possible to tour your studio in advance?
Is your studio on a ground floor or does it require lifts and stairs?
Can I have friends or relatives attend the shoot?
Is there a private feeding and changing area?
Should I bring outfit changes?
Do you have facilities for heating bottles?
What if my baby is unwell on the day?

Read our article What to Expect from your Newborn Photography Session for more information.

Getting Creative

If you have a certain look in mind, or whether you want to be more involved in the art direction on the day, it’s a good idea to speak to your newborn photographer ahead of time.

They will guide you on styles and themes that work, and are tried and tested. They will also advise if you need to buy newborn photography props or additional outfits, if you’re trying to achieve a specific look.

Here’s some further useful questions to ask:

Does my baby need to be awake during the shoot?
I have a particular idea or theme – can you work to that?
I like ‘bundled’ shots of newborn’s all wrapped up – is this something you’re experienced in?
What is your photography style – posed or natural? Can we do a combination of both?
Should I supply newborn photography props? Do you have any props that I could use?
Will, I get the chance to review my favourite photos before the end of the shoot, to offer feedback along the way?
Are images retouched afterwards – what if I do/don’t want certain features disguised?

Technical Bit

Whether or not you’re a technical person, there’s some logistics that are worth finding out ahead of the shoot.

Ask your photographer what format they supply the images in, and how long after the shoot you will receive them. Enquire if they retouch images and be clear if there’s any specific requests you have in mind.

Costs

Last, but by no means least, it’s important to be clear about costs in advance. Some newborn photographers offer all-inclusive packages, others provide a ‘menu of options’ which you can pick and choose from.

A website, or profile page is always worth reviewing in advance.

Extra questions to ask:

Do you offer packages, if so what do they include and what is the pricing?
If I need extra shots, such as a baby passport photo, would you be able to capture this and does it cost extra?
Is there a minimum spend requirement?
Can you produce a baby photo album from the shoot, should I wish to give it as a gift?

These are just some of the useful questions to ask your newborn baby photographer in advance of your shoot. As any professional will tell you, communication is key, so don’t be afraid to have a dialogue with them, especially to keep them informed of impending arrivals.