1. Did you have them done/Are you planning to? 2. What's the general price range in your area? What does it include? 3. How did you find your photographer? 4. Did you communicate w him/her beforehand about what you're looking for?
There's no shortage of newborn photogs in the Chicago area, but I can't find someone whose style I really love. I think I like a more natural style than what is trendy right now, so I don't want too posey or propped up or too many props. Most of the city photogs charge obscene amounts of money.
I found someone I like, but she skews toward the proppy/posey look, which I'm learning most do. Is it appropriate to tell her what I like and ask her not to do the standard poses? Would you ask to see complete galleries of other clients or is that high maintenance?
We eloped, so I didn't have the whole wedding photographer experience. H is just like, "do we need photos of her done professionally? We have a nice DSLR!" And he's right, so I'm wondering if these photos will be worth it or if I'll only like 1 or 2. Ideally, I'd love to form a relationship with someone for regular family sessions over the years.
Post by ilikedonuts on Jan 3, 2014 21:17:29 GMT -5
1. Yes we did with both girls 2. Our photographer is definitely on the higher end in our area (and I'm almost the person who names the highest price or 2nd highest price in these newborn picture posts on GBCN). I think we paid $700 for DD1's session, cd of 15 pictures and birth announcements. DD2's was a joint maternity/newborn package with a 24 picture cd and a bunch of prints. We paid $720 total for the 2. 3. I googled newborn photographers *my city* and then looked through what I found 4. I did communicate a bit with what I wanted and I looked through her website and made notes of what blankets and stuff I liked. With DD2's session, my photographer actually remembered which pictures of hers I had commented on on FB and put that stuff to the side.
I love our photographer and we have 2 more sessions planned in the next year (DD2's 6 month/family session and her 1 year session) and then we'll do a family session every year with her.
I think if you emailed the person you like, asked for more info and just added in that you don't want to use natural colors and not a lot of props. See what she says. Honestly, its probably easier for her anyways to not use all the props and stuff.
Post by ilikedonuts on Jan 3, 2014 21:19:08 GMT -5
Also, I've found that photographers that mainly do weddings with family sessions on the side are usually more likely to have examples of family/newborn sessions without all the props. We almost had our wedding photographers who we are really good friends with now do DD1's newborn pictures, but then I decided I wanted all the pretty blankets and headbands that a newborn photographer would have.
Post by andthentherewere10 on Jan 3, 2014 21:57:15 GMT -5
We decided against professional newborn shots in favor of 6 month shots when the baby has a little more personality and looks a little more like himself (rather than the puffy classic newborn shots.)
I will expect to pay $300 for a large variety of shots here at our house with our dogs and horses and cat. We will get rights to the photos and a CD.
1. Did you have them done/Are you planning to? We are getting professional newborn photos. 2. What's the general price range in your area? What does it include? I've seen prices anywhere from $150 (all digital files) to $2K (no digital files but including print minimum). 3. How did you find your photographer? I did a google search and saw the most expensive photographer sites (which makes sense because they are paying to come up on google anyways). Most of them were that posing style you mentioned. My H loves that style but I do prefer more lifestyle type photos. I fell in love with an amazing photographer but she charged $1700 for both maternity and newborn sessions. Then I looked on pinterest for newborn and family photos and found SO many more affordable options that could offer the lifestyle and posed shots we wanted. Our newborn session is going to be in our house and we are paying $300 for the session and 15 digital files. 4. Did you communicate w him/her beforehand about what you're looking for? Yes, all the photographers I have contacted sent me a link to complete galleries. I also send them links to my pinterest boards. Our maternity photographer actually studied it and remembered all the poses I liked.
I think professional photography is a good investment. The photographer will be able to capture your whole family, which you probably won't be able to do with your own dslr. Try looking for a family photographer versus a newborn photographer if you are looking for the lifestyle type session. I don't think you will get what you are looking for if you hire a "posey" studio photographer and ask them to take lifestyle shots.
1. Did you have them done/Are you planning to? yes, we will be doing them. I actually called the photographer yesterday to arrange.
2. What's the general price range in your area? What does it include? The cheapest I have seen is $250 but I'm not keen on her style (not very professional). The person I am using charged Iaround $500 for the session I believe - I was going to book her anyway but then I went to an event and she was giving away sessions and I got one! I still have to pay for prints etc so it will end up being around $500 I think.
3. How did you find your photographer? Googling and checking out tons.
4. Did you communicate w him/her beforehand about what you're looking for? Yes, we have a pre meeting next week with her to go over what we want etc.
1. Did you have them done/Are you planning to? Yes but only because its a service offered in lieu of the traditional hospital pics (photographers come to your room with a couple of props and do a mini shoot). We ended up ordering the CD of the proofs but could have ordered individual prints or nothing at all. 2. What's the general price range in your area? What does it include? There's a huge range of prices and included services. 3. How did you find your photographer? They were from the company the hospital I gave birth in uses for the optional newborn mini shoots. The CD we ordered was like $130 and came with maybe 25 pictures. 4. Did you communicate w him/her beforehand about what you're looking for? Not really, but since it was just a mini shoot done in my hospital room there wasn't the time or the need for that. If I'd had a certain pose or prop I wanted to use the photographers probably would have been fine with it but really all they asked was that he be in whatever outfit we wanted him to be wearing in his pics before they got there.
Post by AlpineSlide on Jan 8, 2014 14:56:11 GMT -5
I took them myself. No fancy camera or anything. I had contacted a local photog. but she never got back to me, so i just did them myself. I wanted them done in our home anyway, rather than taking him to a studio. i had some props on hand already like a large basket to place him in, etc. i do regret not taking naked posed ones of him. he was in a swaddle blanket for all.
We used them for his birth announcement (showing 3 poses) and some of dh's coworkers asked who the photog was and he said my wife. so, they were impressed!