This is my fourth and final post on tips for Hiring a Newborn Baby Photographer. I have covered experience, safety, and style in my previous posts and now I am going to talk about professionalism.
Look For Professionalism in a Newborn Portrait Photographer
This, too, may sound like a no-brainer but you would not believe some of the horror stories I have heard from clients. I typically ask clients about their past experience with photographers and sometimes I hear things that will shock you. Such as, waiting three years to get an album. Three YEARS. My turn-around time is three WEEKS. Max. And it is usually much faster than that. However, it is not only about how quickly you get your images but about how well you are treated.
Many clients find me on Google but many more find me through referrals. That’s how I know that I am treating my clients well – lots of repeat business and client referrals. If you find a newborn portrait photographer on the internet, one way you can judge their level of professionalism is by looking for reviews on their site and on third party sites. Otherwise, you will need to go by how they treat you in your very first contact with them. If it takes a week for your photographer to return a phone call or email then that is a pretty good sign that you are not a high priority. If you are contacted quickly and receive quick responses to further queries then you are on the right path.
Your newborn portrait photographer should be willing to answer your questions about price, time, location, etc. as a standard minimum. If you are given style tips, newborn preparation tips, and tips on how to choose the best images to print and even how to hang your art, then you are in good hands. It’s even better if you can meet with your photographer beforehand to go over all the details of the shoot. That way you know that you have all the information you need and also that your photographer has all the input regarding style that you want to share. I always offer a pre-session consultation to my clients either in person, by phone, or through the use of a web form. It is so helpful to both parties and makes a big difference in how smoothly a shoot goes.
And that wraps up my post series on tips for hiring a newborn portrait photographer. Check back next week when I will be offering casserole recipes. Not really.
