Why Newborn Photography is Worth the Money
Let’s face it. Professional photos of your newborn can be expensive. Why not just take photos of my baby myself at home? I am of the mind that there are two occasions in your life where you should splurge on professional photography. The first is your wedding, the second is your newborn baby. While capturing all stages of your baby’s life is important. The newborn phase is really special. Let’s talk about why newborn photography is worth the money.
1. You will never get this time back.
Have your ever heard the phrase “babies don’t keep”? This is especially true of the newborn phase. The ideal timeframe for newborn photos is between 6-14 days old. Newborns grow and mature rapidly. Their little faces and bodies change and grow in the blink of any eye. For example, my oldest was born at 7 pounds 12 ounces. By the time she was one month old, she was over 10 pounds!! That is some rapid growth! If you want to preserve your memories of what your baby looked like when you first met them, it is important to capture them in photographs during the first days of life.
2. Newborn photographers have invested a lot of time learning their craft.
Unlike any other type of photography, newborn photography takes the longest to learn. Not only does a talented newborn photographer know how to use a camera properly, they have to learn proper lighting techniques and how to pose and safely handle a newborn. This is not something that can happen quickly. Even professional wedding photographers have sought out my services for their newborn because they know that newborn photography is not something they can do well. It took me several years to get good at what I do. I definitely would not want to show images of when I first started. Newborn posing takes a long time to learn!
3. You would spend way more money on props trying to do a session yourself.
All of the photos on this post come from a single session. Let’s say you wanted to do your session with just a cell phone. Not even with professional lighting and equipment. It would cost you a small fortune to accumulate the things you need to make your newborn look good. Let’s do a little tally, shall we?
- Backdrop fabrics x2 $35 each. ($70)
- Little overalls from No. 2 Willow Lane $40
- Swaddle $25
- Bowl layers $80
- Bowl $60
- Flokati Rug $160
- Wood Mat floor $120
- Cloud backdrop $160
- Toy Story toys $160
- Toy box (this was diy) $50
- swaddle and fur layer in toy story set $70
- Woody outfit $90
Total: $925
This is just for the props! That does not include if you wanted to also invest in a good camera, lens, and lighting equipment. That would run you about another $5000-$7000 if you used similar equipment to mine. Then you would also need to invest in Adobe photoshop and a computer that is capable of editing the photos.
4. You won’t regret getting professional photos.
Getting beautiful photos of your baby is not something you will ever say “I wish I didn’t get those photos”. Most likely it would be the opposite. You will regret not getting those photos. Trust me. As your children grow, it will sometimes bring you to tears seeing photos of them so little. As a mom of three teenagers, I treasure those newborn photos of my babies. Time goes so fast.
5. These photos also double as art for your walls.
Professional photos of your baby are art. Not only is this art beautiful, but it will make you happy every time you look at it. Why not adorn your walls with something that makes you happy?
I love this little woody outfit. If you like it, you can purchase it here http://www.theknittingbitty.com
To see more of my newborn work check out https://gretchenbarros.com/newborn
Newborn Photographer serving Portland, Oregon; Camas, Washington; Vancouver, Washington; Tigard, Oregon; Troutdale, Oregon; Gresham, Oregon; Lake Oswego, Oregon; Ridgefield, Washington; Brush Prairie, Washington; Washougal, Washington. Portland Baby Photographer.
