The first few months of pregnancy go by fast! It’s an exciting couple of months marked by milestones like your first prenatal visit, telling people the good news, feeling the baby move, and (maybe less excitingly) morning sickness. One of the other things to get excited about? Finding a newborn photographer! It might be that you hire your maternity photographer for your newborn photos, as many of us have packages. Or, it might be that you hire someone completely new! It’s entirely up to you, but finding the best newborn photographer during your pregnancy can be part of the fun. Here are some ways to keep your eye out for a photographer that will work for you!

Research Austin Newborn Photographer Portfolios

The first step toward the best photographer fit is doing due diligence. Most modern businesses have at least a few of their photos online, so you can peek at newborn sessions they’ve done in their past. You can get a good sense of their style and way of doing things the more you look at their photos — especially if they have an accompanying blog.

Google (and other search engines) will typically cater your search to photographers in your area, but an excellent way to find local photographers is to include the name of your city and state in your search. For instance, “Austin Newborn Photographers” or “Austin TX Newborn Photographer” may net you more results than simply searching for “Newborn photographers.”

Meet With Your Favorite Photographers

Keep a running list of newborn photographers whose photos you like as you research.  You’ll want to come back to them! When you narrow down your search, you’ll start interviewing or reaching out to newborn photographers you like! Don’t feel bad or awkward about “interviewing” a potential photographer — we promise, we’re used to it. Most of us want our clients to feel trusting of us. This allows us to take photos that better cater to what you want. So, we understand if you go with another photographer after chatting with a few of us. That’s the nature of the game!

A few good things to keep in mind during your newborn photographer interviews:

Talk About Pricing & Packages

As you talk with potential newborn photographers, please don’t be shy about asking them about the types of packages they offer and what prices those are. Often, newborn photographers do some other form of family-oriented photography, like maternity photography or family portraits. Those who do might have special packages that include milestones in your pregnancy and your baby’s first year, like my bump to baby membership.

Ask About Themes

Themes might be fundamental to your newborn photo session. Most newborn photographers are more than happy to work around theme requests, but some work with your theme requests better than others! Be sure to chat with potential photographers about your theme ideas and get a feel for what they might be able to do for your baby’s photos.

The Best Newborn Photographer Is Always Safety Trained

A lot more goes into your baby’s newborn photos than just cute props and a good camera. Photography expertise aside, it’s important to get a photographer who has been trained in newborn posing safety — so your baby’s most precious photos aren’t causing them pain or harm. Personally, I did a 1:1 newborn posing safety mentoring with Kristen Mackey of Son Kissed Photography in Oklahoma to ensure my tiniest clients were always safe. Not all newborns can fit into every pose, and after having taken safety training and photographing hundreds of newborns, I understand the nuances. Make sure you find a newborn photographer who has your baby’s safety in mind!

Schedule A Newborn Photo Day That Works For You

One of the reasons you should start looking for a newborn photographer early? We tend to get very busy! (especially if your baby’s due date is around a holiday). The best newborn photographers in the business will be able to accommodate their clients’ needs as long as they have enough time.

Some important things for you and your photographer to consider–

• Ideal newborn photo timing: Believe it or not, there is an ideal time for taking newborn pics! Although I think all babies are cute, newborn photos taken within the first month of a baby’s life tend to yield some of the best (and most precious) results. Your baby is still relatively sleepy and quiet during this time, which means lots of sleepy pics!
• Working around your needs: As a mom, I know it’s essential to consider your needs! I will never schedule for right after your newborn because you and your baby need that time to rest and bond. I also leave plenty of time during photo sessions for snuggling, feeding, and diaper cleanup (because every mom knows it happens!)

The Best Newborn Photographer Finale: The Big Day!

Once you’ve interviewed, picked your photographer, and finally picked your time and date, your newborn photo session comes sooner than you’d believe! I think it’s one of the nicest “first dates” you get to have with your little one. Though, I might be a little biased!

Are you looking for the best newborn photographer for you? Interview me!