All you need to know about newborn photography in Northampton

If you, your partner or a friend are pregnant you might’ve stumbled across this blog if you were thinking of getting some professional photographs taken of the newest member of the family. Maybe you’re wondering if it’s worth the expense, or giving up the time to research who you’d like to take the photos. Hopefully this will answer all your questions, and if not, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below or get in touch and I’ll do my best to help you. 

So, why book a newborn session?

The old adage of ‘they don’t stay little for long’ is so true. Time goes by so quickly when your baby is born… it’s true that the nights can seem like they go on forever but the days really are short. These precious moments go by in the blink of an eye and your baby will grow so quickly. It’s so important to capture these special moments. The tiny hands and feet, the wispy hair, the womb like poses.

A new baby might be the start of your family, or the last piece in the puzzle. Either way, the birth of your child is a day you will never forget. Why wouldn’t you want these early days captured in prints or artwork that will last a lifetime and beyond. You’ll want to look at this every day and phone snaps just won’t be enough. After all, no one has ever said "I wish I had less photos of my baby!".

What should you look for when choosing a newborn photographer?

Once you’ve decided you definitely want your newborn baby photographed you’ll no doubt have some questions as to who to book. There are a lot of photographers out there, but not all are equal depending on your needs. 

What style do you want? 

There are a couple of different newborn photography styles, most commonly natural lifestyle and posed. A lifestyle approach is less hands on from the photographer and they will take photos of everyday moments. This can include cuddles, feeding, interacting with your baby, or anything else you'd like.

A posed style can still look natural, you'll find it's just less of your surroundings showing. The photographer will be very hands on with your baby and gently (oh so gently) move them into different womb like positions.

I have been fully trained in both of these approaches and can offer you one or the other or a combination of both. The best thing to do is to look the photographs and tell me which you prefer.

 

Do you like the photographer’s work, and do you like them? It might sound silly but if you’re going to be spending a few hours with someone and letting them handle your baby, you want to make sure you’ll like them first. I’m more than happy to chat on the phone, or meet up for a no obligation consultation prior to booking, plus don’t forget to follow me on social media and you’ll get a good idea of who I am. 

Do you have to travel?

Before a baby comes along, you can decide to leave the house and be out of the door two minutes later. Shoes and coat on, keys, phone, wallet - check, let’s go! Things can get a little trickier once your baby arrives. You’ll need to think about everything you’ll need to bring with you, spare clothes, nappies, your baby’s feeding schedule, not wanting to wake them from a deep slumber, and then there’s the inevitable emergency smelly nappy change just as you’re about to leave! 

I come to your house for your newborn session, so you have everything you need to hand and don’t even have to get out of your pjs if you don’t want to. I only need a small amount of floor space (usually the sitting room is perfect) and a socket to plug in my light. I bring everything I need with me, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.  

Are they trained in the art of newborn posing and safety?

This is one of the most important questions to ask, especially for any posed photography where the photographer will be hands on with your baby. If they’ve not had hands on 1-2-1 training and have just had their own children and watched a few online tutorials you might want to rethink.

Newborn photography isn’t a regulated industry and anyone with a camera can call themselves a newborn photographer. I take your baby’s safety so seriously. I have done several 1-2-1 training sessions and keep up to date on all aspects of newborn safety. In addition I also have an Ofsted recognised paediatric first aid certificate, that again is kept up to date.

 

How long will the session last?

Newborn sessions can last anywhere between 2 and 4 hours. That sounds like a long time, but all my sessions are completely baby led, that means that if your baby wants to feed or just be cuddled that’s what we’ll do. Not all babies like all poses and I’ll never persist if your baby isn’t happy purely to get the photograph. Your baby’s comfort and safety are of the utmost importance to me and nothing will be rushed.

Will you be put under any time pressure?

Some studios will allow only a certain amount of time for your session and you’ll feel stressed if your baby isn’t sleeping and feel like the photographer won’t be getting enough photos. Typically newborn sessions last around 2 to 3 hours to allow time for settling your baby and feeding time. I’ll never let a baby cry and your baby would never be left to settle on their own to get the shot. I will allow up to 4 hours for your session and if for some reason I haven’t got an amazing gallery of photographs for you to choose from we’ll reschedule completely free of charge for another day. 

What happens if your baby won’t sleep or cries?

This question is particularly important if you’re going to a studio where your session time is limited. I am experienced with babies and what their cries mean, and if you’re not sure I can always help. You don’t have to worry if your baby won’t sleep, they usually do eventually even if they’re fighting it for a while! Because there is no time pressure in my sessions everything is super relaxed and this is transferred to the baby. Again, if there’s a reason such as your baby has a bit of tummy ache or isn’t feeding well, or is going through a growth spurt and won’t stop feeding, I’ll use my experience to call it a day and will return at no extra cost in a couple of days. This avoids any stress on you or your baby. 

How much does it cost?

Prices will vary depending on your photographer's training, experience and what they can offer you in terms of artwork. I firmly believe that just selling digital photographs to you would be doing you a disservice. With all the best will in the world when you have a new baby, taking that USB to high street printer or spending hours in front of the computer trying to design an album will not be high on your priority list!

In addition to that, I only use the very best professional only lab that prints at the very highest standard, giving you artwork that is archival certified for 300 years… that’s why I’ll tell you it lasts a lifetime and beyond! Of course I understand the importance of digitals and the desire to share online, that’s why with every order you’ll receive the matching digital copy for free. My prices start from £75 and there is no minimum order, however clients on typically choose to spend an average of £1,500 for their newborn photographs. I can absolutely promise you there will be no hard sell and clients only ever buy what they love. 

When to book?

The ideal timeframe for newborn photography is in your baby’s first two weeks.That’s definitely not to say it’s not possible when your baby is a little older, they are just at their most sleepy and like the womb poses the most at this age. Booking any time after your 12 week scan is ideal. I typically get booked up a couple of months in advance, although with the unpredictable nature of due dates I can often fit you in at shorter notice. Get booked in early though to guarantee your session… I will pencil you in for one week after your due date, but ensure I leave space in my diary to allow for your baby arriving early or late. Because of this I only take on a limited amount of newborn clients per month so that I can guarantee your session. 

Next steps

Please have a look at the galleries on my website and contact me to book your session.