How to Choose the right Photographer for you 1st time around

There are many times I have seen ads in local Facebook groups for people looking for a local newborn photographer that doesn’t cost as arm and a leg, these posts make me feel disappointed to say the least, but I totally understand each person has their own budget to be able to have Professional photos done of their family, maternity, Newborns, children etc.

So to help you understand about value, let’s go through a few things, then you will see that as a professional we really need our arms and legs to be able to give you the Professional standard of images you really want.

 

I have had many people say to me, “I don’t know what the big deal is, your just clicking a button”, well it is a lot more deeper than that, that piece of equipment in your photographers hand is worth more than what most people would pay for a second hand car and that equipment needs to be serviced regularly and cleaned professionally so that it will operate when it is needed, it is also insured, the same way we insure a car we use for a business, but the camera is only one small piece in your photography, there is also props, backdrops, printers, computers, props, props, outfits, gowns, wraps, props (yes lots of props) and education, like most professions, education is required to be able to do Professional Photography, education about how to use your equipment, read light, compose, and edit, lots of editing, a lot of work in the post production on images, this depends on the amount of photoshop that is required, but we all want our images to look amazing, right, have the background match, fix up any imperfections clients would like, and I get asked to do a lot, and many times hearing “just fix it in photoshop” are words 99% of photographer hate hearing as usually that “just” is a big thing to sort out, now with newborns there is a lot of photoshop, not to change how your baby looks but to composite out a hand that is there for safety, to create the image you after as it is a composite so your baby is safe at all times and this is important as your baby is precious and you need to know they are safe, I will pop down a few things for you look for when choosing a photographer below:

 

• Is the business registered (big black mark if not), any business operating within Australia must be registered with a current ABN number, if a business does not have these then they are not insured or registered to operate, they cannot take money for services without registration, remember this, if something happens with your baby, your child, or yourself they are not covered and that means any compensation you may have been entitled to you may never see, do not assume that if someone is operating under a proclaimed business name that the business is registered, or safe, please do your checks.

 

• Go and have a look at the photographer’s page and go through images, go to their website, does it look professional? Are the images you see consistent? In other words, does the photographer follow through with their style? Or are there images in there that are amazing and then some to most of them look flat or very different in quality (there are a lot photographers out there that will use another professional photographer’s images or stock photos to make their page look good and use them book in clients), so when you take your baby there and although cheap, your images will not be what you want, so do your research, choosing the style and quality you really want.

 

 

• You can ask your photographer questions, like are they insured, every photographer should have business insurance just like any other business.

 

• Do they have a Working with children check, you can ask them this and you can ask to see it, this is important as your child/ren will be being photographed by them, remember do your homework, don’t just choose the first and cheapest one that comes to you.

 

 

• Are they fully up to date with vaccinations, if no you are allowed to ask them why, all Newborn photographers should be up to date with all vaccinations as thy are handling your newborns who’s own immune system is just developing, I know not everyone believes in vaccinations and each person has a right to choose to be vaccinated or not, but you have a choice as well, you can choose to take the risk and go with an unvaccinated photographer or choose one that is. Some people cannot be vaccinated due to medical reasons, that is all they need to respond with, I have a child we had to vaccinate at the children’s hospital as he is allergic to eggs and there can be an egg protein in some vaccinations, but not all.

 

• You are allowed to ask for a meeting before hand to check out or scope out the potential photographer, I have a lot women come in for Maternity sessions to the studio and at the same time walk around, look at props, and talk about themes and colours for their baby’s shoot, remember you can choose colours for your baby’s shoot, it is your baby and you know the theme and colours in your home, you are allowed to ask for a specific prop, it is not up to the photographer to choose for you.

 

 

• Take your time, and look around, look at styles and ask questions, do not just book in under pressure, you can send a message and say that you have a few questions, that is fine, ask away, you are entitled to an honest answer within a reasonable time frame, please just keep in mind that the photographer may be in the middle of a photoshoot, or have a family issue happening, as like any other person we are human too.

 

• Accredited, now this is a touchy subject for most, as a lot of photographers do not want to go through an accreditation process but still have the standards of photography like they are accredited, but you can ask, the AIPP is the Australian Institute of Professional Photographers, each year within the organization professional photographers can meet up for further education, workshops, push their creativity and images through competitions and critiques and get support, youn as a consumer can also go to them and check on professional photographers accreditation and also report those that you feel are not within a certain standard for professional practice. And there is the ANP, which is the Academy of Newborn Photography that educates newborn photographers on safety, including safe handling, conditions that can arise with newborns and promotes CPR (you must have your CPR certificate to complete), along with First Aide courses, up to date CPR and First Aide training is essential for any business to be able run. It is very comprehensive and well worked out for those handling newborns and maternity clients for potential problems and safe posing and handing of both.

 

• You can ask about business policies and procedures, a good amount should be covered in the contract you sign before undertaking your session, you can ask about them, about safety policies, COVID policies (every business should have these in place), cleaning policies, handling policies, storing policies, refund policies, image sharing policies, there is a lot that goes into running a business, if you say you do not want your image/s shared please just say so and your image/s should not be shared regardless of any contract you have signed. Model free sessions fall under something different, as if you have agreed to model for free in turn for use of the images from the day then the contract will look slightly different to adjust for this.

 

 

Remember to do your homework, you can ask how that image was created, or this image was created, there should be a simple and honest answer.

You as a consumer have a right to choose the photographer of your choice, just please remember to do your homework and you will get the images you are after, choose who you want, if someone pushes you to book or tricks you into booking just say you felt tricked and pressured, you and you alone are the one to choose, you may get a follow up with how are you going, did you need to ask any questions, do not be afraid to answer back with, sorry but after some searching and research we went elsewhere, although the photographer may feel a little down with not booking, at the same time they should be happy you are getting the images you really want., but they will have a firm answer and can reopen the booking spot they may have been saving for you.

To ask me any questions or to book in a session, please go here.