This is my third post on tips for Hiring a Newborn Baby Photographer. In the first post, found here, I talked about the importance of hiring a photographer with EXPERIENCE and in the second post (here). I talked about the importance of hiring a newborn photographer who works SAFELY with babies. In this post I will talk about the STYLE of your newborn photographer. Nope, not what they wear (I would sincerely hope I am not judged by my yoga pants) but how they shoot. Though not nearly as important as your baby’s safety, your newborn photographer’s style definitely deserves a mention.
Look For Style in a Newborn Photographer
This may seem like an obvious point to make as you will either be attracted to a baby photographer’s online gallery or you won’t. It seems simple, right? Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that. If you look through a gallery and are wowed by the images you see there but you find yourself thinking, ‘I wish there were more props,’ or ‘I love these but would not have cropped them as tightly’. Then those seemingly insignificant things might actually be indicators that your creative style does not match your photographer’s.
For example, I had a client once who brought in a bunch of props that were completely different from what I usually work with. They were large and cumbersome. They were dwarfing the baby and taking center stage. I suggested some options that I had in my studio and she agreed to go with those. At the review session, however, she was disappointed that I didn’t use any of her props. She told me it was my job to provide a service, like a plumber. And that I should have used the props she provided as that is ultimately what she wanted.
Well, obviously, I am not a plumber. If I were merely providing a service then I would be working at a department store studio. The photos would cost $45 and they would come with a free rubber ducky.
When you hire a professional photographer and pay a much higher price, you want to know that you are hiring an artist. One that has the best final outcome of your images in mind. You want to be able to relax and trust that the images are going to reflect your vision and will match your aesthetic. If you don’t see the type of images you really love in a baby photographer’s portfolio then there is probably a very good reason for that.
We all have different tastes and photographers do too. Their style is reflected in how they shoot, how they crop, how they process the images, the props they use, and even the lighting they choose. So many creative factors are taken into consideration when creating a newborn portrait. And if you ask for something that is outside of the realm of your photographer’s aesthetic then you will most likely not be pleased with the result.
Check back for the final post in my series on tips for Hiring a Newborn Photographer – Professionalism.