Newborn photography is something that I’ve been doing for quite a few years now, pretty much since it made its arrival into popular culture in the UK after its long history in the USA.  Obviously so have lots of other folk and I come across lots of fellow photographers on my online travels.  I also come across lots of articles about how you can save money and do it yourself at home.  Now I’m not one to gainsay the wisdom of Google but there are some reasons that it’s worth choosing a professional.

When you’ve just got home with a new baby, you’ll definitely want to take lots of pictures.  I mean, a lot.  Seriously, they’re likely to be the most gorgeous creature you’ve ever seen and so who wouldn’t want to photograph them?

However, you’re also quite likely to be a bit on the tired side and have a lot to think about as you get used to your new life as a family so there’s a definite benefit to handing off to a professional to capture your first official photos.  Getting a baby into those perfect tucked up poses is something that does need a little bit of practice and, not to big up myself, but there’s an art to the lighting of a newborn to make sure they look as perfect as they are and that’s something I’ve been refining as a professional photographer for more than a decade.  It also involves a fair amount of physical effort if I’m honest – I actually make it a point to yoga it up on a regular basis to keep myself in tip top condition to take the strain of regular newborn shoots.   A visit to my cosy studio means that you get to chill out on my super comfy sofa and let me take care of everything for you.

Then there is what happens to the pictures after the photo shoot is over.  I have invested in the best professional and software and hardware in my digital editing suite and sat through lots of (extremely boring if I’m being perfectly honest) training hours to make sure I am fully equipped to give the appropriate amount of digital love to your finished images.  Now, I’m not saying in the picture above that the baby’s hands are anything less than perfect in their original state but the truth of the matter is that babies have been underwater for a lot of months and so their skin, especially on their hands and feet, can need just a little attention.   Couple that with a fair few scratches from their own fingernails (have you ever tried to cut a newborn’s nails – it’s a thankless task!), spots of jaundice, purple patches and red spots and there’s work to do to make sure they look absolutely perfect.  That said, I actually don’t like my newborns to look like wax dolls and so all of this has to be balanced with maintaining their skin’s natural texture.

So, for what it’s worth, that’s why I think it’s worth booking a professional for your newborn photo shoot.  Let someone else take the strain and create your perfect newborn images. And hey, if you choose me to be that person, then that’s just a bonus for me 🙂

A newborn photo shoot is best when your baby is between 5 and 10 days old as this is when they are at their maximum sleepiness and poseability to capture those dreamy shots.  For this reason, I definitely recommend that you book when you are pregnant as this is one less thing to worry about scheduling when you’ve just got home from the hospital.   We make an appointment for your due date plus 7 days and then adjust it as needed.

My newborn shoots include your three favourite digital images which you select from your online gallery a few weeks after your photo shoot – I don’t make you attend a sales or viewing session.  Sessions take place in my warm and cosy studio in Crawley Down and cost £95.