Choosing the Right Photographer
As a newborn photographer in Charlotte, I totally get that there are SO many things to consider when it comes to choosing the photographer that will be there with you when you bring that new little baby into your family; a moment you will only get to experience a finite number of times in your life, and a moment you cannot go back and re-do if the images don’t work out the way you had envisioned. I can’t tell you how many of my clients find me after they’ve had a seriously disappointing newborn session experience with another photographer and they wish they had invested in someone with more expertise from the get-go.
You need to find the RIGHT photographer for you! Period. Each photographer in Charlotte, NC is not created equally and I know it can be really hard to even begin to narrow it down. When it comes to a once-in-a-lifetime moment, like welcoming your new baby home for the first time, you do NOT want to chance it on an inexperienced photographer or a “friend” who has a nice camera.
Some things to consider are: Do you want these to look timeless or trendy? Do you want more lifestyle or posed images? How to you want them to feel? These are just the beginning when thinking about who might be the right fit for your family.
Posing and Shooting Style
When it comes to newborn sessions, there are two “types” of styles.
Posed: The first style is the photographer who heavily utilizes a posing beanbag. This style involves a sleepy baby being posed/contorted into various different positions, sometimes including props/buckets. This is not our personal style since we like to remember babies the way they looked in real life, in the sweet little positions they would naturally sleep in. But there are many beautiful artists who totally nail it when it comes to this style of newborn photography. If you decide to find a photographer who specializes in posed newborn sessions, be sure to find someone who is trained in safety as many of the poses can be very dangerous for newborn babies if not executed with proper safety precautions in place.
Lifestyle/baby led: The next style of photographer will create beautiful images of your baby, typically of baby sleeping in positions that are more natural and resemble the way your baby looks when sleeping in real life. This often includes images of a baby sleeping on the master bed, swaddled up in a crib or moses basket, snuggled up in dad’s arms or on mom’s chest, etc. You can see some samples of this style below.
Editing Style
There are a few main styles to consider when it comes to the way an artist edits their imagery- airy, filmy, true to life, colorful, contrasty, moody. You should think about the way you want your family portrayed, the style that will feel right when you look back years from now; choose something that evokes the right emotions within you.
While there are some artists who excel at creating moody images with deep shadows and moody tones, this isn’t the feel that we prefer for newborn sessions- in our mind, those newborn days should be remembered as a bright spot in your life, not as a dark patch. When the moody trend comes and goes, our images will remain timeless forever.
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