So you’re thinking of hiring the right Greenville SC Newborn Photographer?

First, congratulations on your baby!  It’s a crazy and exciting season filled with anticipation and worry.  Relax. Take a deep breath.

There are so many newborn photographers in the area.  How do you choose the right one to capture those precious first days?  More importantly, how do you choose a newborn photographer who you can trust with your precious tiny baby?  Here’s a helpful set of questions for your newborn photography search.

7 Things to Ask your Newborn Photographer

1. Do you use composites? 
   
   The reason some newborn poses look impossible fore a baby to maintain on his/her own is that that they are! Most of these images are trickery of the eye created in Photoshop or a similar program by a technique called a composite.Any pose where the newborn’s head is raised in a vertical, or where the baby appears to be hanging, or sitting should be created as a composite image. Additionally, anytime a newborn is placed in a prop or held by a younger sibling, an adult should be within arms length of your baby.

   The pair of images above show how one composite is created. A baby should never be in one of these positions without support.  Some photographers choose not to shoot composite images preferring more natural posing.  However, if you see an image that looks impossible in the photographers portfolio, always ask about their composite practices and spotting practices.

2. Do you have a Federal Tax ID and a Business Licence? 

   If your photographer isn’t serious enough to obtain the necessary legal paperwork to pursue a legitimate business, the you probably shouldn’t hire him/her.  Hobby photography has it’s place and everyone starts somewhere, but if you’re exchanging goods/services for money make sure they’re running a legal business.Integrity in the small stuff will indicate integrity in their dealing with you.

    

3. Do you have insurance?An insured photographer is one who is willing to take responsibility for possible errors.  You wouldn’t let an uninsured doctor/midwife deliver your baby so why would you let an uninsured photographer pose your baby?

    

4. What training do you have in newborn photography? 

   Newborn photography requires a special set of skills beyond knowing how to use a camera.  Newborn photographers should be equipped to soothe your newborn, pose babies safely, recognize and relieve poor circulation due to posing, and taught when to give up a pose.  Your baby may cry out softly while settling into a pose, but should never cry continuously during his/her newborn session.There are many forms of training including mentoring, video workshops, and in-person workshops.  Your photographer should have some type of specialized training and inspire your confidence.  A mom who isn’t anxious about her photographers’s skills, allows her newborn to rest making the photographer’s job easier.

5. How warm do you keep your studio/shooting area?Newborns can loose body heat very rapidly when unclothed

   . Their bodies are used to a toasty 98.6 degrees and they have not learned to regulate their body temperatures well.A newborn photographer should have a studio space warm enough to keep baby comfortable: usually between 80 and 85 degrees.  This means that mom, dad, siblings, and the photographer will likely be sweating by the end of the session for the baby to be warm enough.

6. Are you vaccinated properly and what is your sick plan? 

   Babies have extremely low immune systems.  Whether traveling to your house or you heading to their studio, your photographer should have at the very least an up to date TDaP booster shot to protect your baby.Additionally, they should have a sick plan in place.  What happens if they’re sick or their child is sick, even if it’s just a runny nose or a tickle in their throat?  Newborn photos are time sensitive so the photographer should have a plan for both rescheduling and referring you painlessly to another photographer if she is not going to be well enough to shoot during that first 20 days of your baby’s life.

    

7. Can I talk to a past client? 

   If you’re still nervous about the newborn photography experience, ask to talk to a past client.  You’ll get to hear the behind the scenes stories and feel reassured that the photographer is portraying him/herself accurately. As a bonus, if your photographer has a referral program, both of you could end up with referral credits.