baby led lifestyle photographer thurston county

Hiring a photographer to do your maternity and newborn photos might not be the first thing on your mind when you’re expecting a baby. Many of my clients come to me after their babies are already born, super worried that they’re too late and waited too long. Others look online and feel totally overwhelmed by all of the choices and styles and don’t know where to start.

The following is my mini guide for choosing the right newborn photographer for you. Ideally, you will find someone whose photos resonate with you and whose personality makes you feel comfortable and at ease. As cuddly and wonderful as it is to have a newborn, there is a lot of stress that comes with it too, so make sure you find someone to work with who will make sure your session is simple, easy, and fun.

Before I jump into my tips, I just want to make a disclaimer that I’m a lifestyle newborn photographer and clearly love that more natural style, so I will try not to be too biased! Ultimately, finding the right photographer for you is super personal, and I hope these tips will help you to feel confident in your decision.

Top 5 Things to Look for in your Newborn Photographer

1. Photography Style

There are many photography styles out there, and every photographer has their own personal touch, but the two main categories for newborn sessions are: Highly posed in a studio and lifestyle at-home.

Highly posed newborn photography in a studio often features the baby in a basket or posed with props. Sometimes they are dressed up as little animals, tightly swaddled, or placed into very specific poses, and the babies usually have to be very young in order to be safely placed into these poses (typically 10 days and under). To achieve this style, the baby will also usually have to be fully asleep during the session.
The lifestyle approach is much more natural and includes the whole family. Babies are held by their parents or swaddled on the bed with very simple posing. The context of your home gives the photographs a nostalgic feel when you look back on them in years to come. The advantage to this style is that age isn’t as important. Your baby can be wide awake or sleeping and it does not matter if you baby is already several weeks old.

2. Safety

Above all else, you want to make sure your newborn photographer takes safety very seriously. I am all about baby-led posing, which follows the baby’s cues and usually involves a parent holding the infant. I don’t do anything that might be risky, like propping a baby’s head up on their hands, or anything where the baby might fall over or have an unsupported neck.

3. Location

Ask yourself if you’re looking for an at-home session or if you’re ready to venture out of the house for a studio session. All of my newborn sessions are done at-home, so that the family can be relaxed, with all of the baby supplies close at hand. It also allows us to easily take breaks for feeding and diaper changes in a comfortable environment. At-home sessions are great for siblings as well, as they can easily go into their rooms, take snack breaks, or have access to their books and toys.

4. Albums and Wall Art

Photos are meant to be printed and displayed. When you look for a photographer, consider how you want to display your photos. Are you planning to send out baby announcement cards? Do you want to put framed pieces in the nursery or create an album that your child will also love to look at as they grow up? Having a photographer take care of that process for you is a great way to make sure those pieces are made, while giving you the time to focus your energy on your brand new baby.

5. Editing Style

This is something that people don’t always take into account, but to me it’s one of the first things I notice, particularly when photos are over-edited. In my opinion, your baby is perfect already and doesn’t need their skin to be extremely smoothed out or made to look like it’s airbrushed. Now, if mom wakes up with a big red blemish right on her face, I’m not opposed to removing it, especially on photographs going into an album or on a framed wall piece, but I make sure my editing will look natural, keeping your freckles, moles, dimples, and anything that makes you unique.

If you are looking for a newborn photographer in the Olympia area (or beyond), and you think I would be a good fit for you, I would love to talk to you more about what I offer. Feel free to send me an email at alice@alicemaliaphotography.com or send me a message through my contact page.