Are newborn Photos Worth it?

I keep seeing the question of “are newborn photos worth it?” floating around on the internet and decided it’s a topic worthy of discussing. Welcoming home a new baby is a huge deal. You will be different once your baby arrives, your family will be different, your marriage will be different. Parenthood is a huge transition. For me, personally, it was a bigger transition than I even knew it would be going into it.

Having newborn photos done honors the new season that you are in. Newborn photography is generally done in the first 2 weeks of your baby’s life. If you choose the right photographer, you will capture those early memories that quickly become hazy, like the fresh baby skin flakes, all the newborn wrinkles and yawns, the home you brought your baby home to, your baby’s nursery, maybe even some of the real outfits you wore while you rocked your baby to sleep. Everything about your life will look different when you bring your baby home and capturing those first early moments in professional photos is absolutely priceless. Photos can also give your family something to anchor into when the changes may feel like a lot. These photos give your older children something to connect with you over and an opportunity to connect with the new baby. Being a photographer can be a little bit like being a therapist, it’s an opportunity to share your birth story and get affirmation that you are doing a good job at a time when you may really need to hear it. There’s no way to know what being a new parent will feel like until you’re in it, and I hear so many more stories of families wishing they had the pictures done, than families who regret it.

Newborn photos celebrate the new human that you have welcomed into your family. A professional newborn photographer will capture all the details of your new baby that you didn’t even know you wanted captured. The tiny toes, the fuzzy hairs on their back, the cord stump, the nursing forehead wrinkles, all of it. Capturing these details allows you to savor them for the rest of your life. Babies grow fast and truly change a lot even in the first week of life.

You are preserving this fleeting season of life. You may be sore, you may be tired, you’re definitely head over heels in love with your new baby. Bringing in a professional helps you save it for a lifetime. Babies don’t keep

Professional photographer isn’t as stuffy as it sounds. When I enter into someones postpartum space, I enter in with the mindset that I am there to serve. I will not ask to hold your baby. I will help tidy up your space. I will give your older kids some attention, because they are likely starving for it. I will tell mom she looks beautiful. I will tell dad he’s doing a good job. I take my role very seriously, but that doesn’t mean it has to feel like anything other than a friend coming over to visit your new baby. I do not show up super dressed up, I’ll probably be in leggings and a t-shirt. I’m there for you and I want your family to be themselves when I take your photos.

The style of photographer that you choose, matters. If you’re looking into heavily posed, studio newborn photography where your baby is put into “froggy-pose” (which isn’t safe, and I don’t recommend doing this) and dressed up in themed outfits, that may not be worthwhile, because your not preserving memories of your baby with those pictures. Your baby is being used as a “prop” in that style of photography, and in the future, you’re unlikely to value these photos as much. If you hire a lifestyle newborn photographer who offers a a high-end concierge service where they come to your home for the photos, pose your baby safely, naturally and include your immediate family, then I would say that’s highly worth it, because you’re preserving everything about your experience with your new baby in your home. You’ll cherish those photos for many years to come.

Iphone photos are great, but the lens and quality will not give your quality images that will last. While phones do have very advanced cameras these days, the lenses on those cameras are wide angled, which can cause a lot of distortion. Phones can take RAW image files which contain a lot of information, but it takes a professional to know how to manipulate that photo into something beautiful. Photography is so much more than taking pictures- it’s editing, posing, connecting with the subject, it’s offering professional prints to preserve the memories. No two people see the world the same way, so choosing the right photographer is a big deal and hiring a professional who is experienced is invaluable. Your iPhone photos just won’t stand the test of time in the same way as professional photos will.

Hiring a profesional newborn photographer also gives you the freedom to spend time with your baby and not be worried about capturing those important photos. You’ll be able to focus on taking a shower and being in the photos with your baby. You’ll also have beautiful photos in a timely manner to share with family and announce your newest family members arrival. P.S. if your photographer can’t deliver your photos in two weeks, pick a different professional. No one should have to wait 8 weeks for their newborn photos, that’s just crazy town.

You can afford it. Now, let’s talk about cost. It’s not so much a matter of if you can afford it, it’s more of a matter of “do you value it?” Looking at your newborn photos should make you tear up, you should feel something when you look at them. When choosing your photographer and looking over portfolios, don’t pick the cheapest or most affordable option, pick the photographer that makes you FEEL something when you look at their work. Those are the photos you’ll be happy to have in 10 years. People spend money on the things that they value. I definitely agree that budget does have a place in the conversation, believe it or not, I am a budgeting queen. Even being someone who is super frugal, I would spend the money on this. I took all the phone photos in the world, and they are not as valuable to me a the photos I took with my professional camera. I wasn’t in any of the phone photos and the phone camera saved almost none of the newborn details. I promise you it’s worth the investment.

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