How to choose a maternity photographer you’ll love.

Welcome and congratulations on expecting a baby!

So, you are currently pregnant and may be looking to hire a professional photographer to capture some beautiful portraits of your growing bump.  So where do you start?

The most important thing is to find a photographer whose style you really LOVE as well as one who is EXPERIENCED in photographing expectant mums. I’ve put together some helpful tips and important information to take into consideration when deciding on the photographer who is right for YOU!

STYLE – First and foremost you should have a connection with the photographer’s work.  You should love their style – after all this is what you are hiring them to do – to produce amazing images of your beautiful pregnant shape!  Would you prefer to capture some stunning maternity nudes in a studio or do you prefer a fun and relaxed outdoor session?  Do you want posed or lifestyle images or a mix of both?  Looking through the photo galleries on a photographer’s website should give you a very good idea of their style.

SPECIALITY – Does the photographer specialise in photographing expectant mums? – this typically indicates that they have greater knowledge and expertise in this area.  Do they shoot in colour or just in black and white? A lot of photographers choose to only shoot in black and white which might not suit your needs.

PORTFOLIO QUALITY – Are the photographer’s images on their website of outstanding quality? Or are they badly lit, out of focus, ‘over-edited’ or not edited at all?  Do their maternity galleries show a diverse portfolio with lots of different expectant parents in different poses? Or are you seeing the same couple repeatedly?

PRODUCTS ON OFFER – Does the photographer offer a range of products? What is the end product you are considering for yourself?   Do you want a portfolio box or perhaps a photo album? If so, then don’t choose a photographer who ONLY offers digital files.  Are the products of high quality and are they of archival quality?

PERSONALITY – What’s your impression of the photographer – will you feel confident and comfortable with them capturing nude maternity portraits of you?  Is there more than one photographer who shoots in that studio? Do you prefer a female photographer or is that not important? Not all expectant mothers want to bare all in front of a male photographer.

Take a look at their ‘about me’ page on their website – is there a photograph to give you an insight if this photographer has a friendly and likeable personality? Overall, it’s always best to phone them for a chat as you can ask any questions you may have.

RECOMMENDATIONS & REVIEWS – Can any of your friends, relatives or work colleagues recommend a pregnancy photographer?  How good was their experience?  Positive reviews and referrals can be very helpful as it can provide you with an insight into what your maternity photography session might be like.

Reading reviews and testimonials on Google Maps can also be very helpful. Were the reviews written in the last few months? Or has the photographer been in business for many years?

The price of  pregnancy photography – how much are your memories worth?

“So how much is it going to cost me?!” Is a question often asked. Whilst price will be a factor, it shouldn’t be the first or final thing to consider when making such an important decision. I am sure you have heard of the saying “you get what you pay for”?  Choosing and entrusting the right photographer for your baby bump photo session is no different.

As a guide, you can expect to spend anywhere from £495 to £5000 for your artwork.  Some maternity photographers will also charge a separate ‘session fee’ for their time spent on the day of your photo shoot – anywhere from £75 to £500. Of course, there are photographers to suit all budgets – however remember, you get what you pay for – and you will you really want to go to another photographer to redo a session if you are not happy with photographs captured by an inexperienced photographer? Suddenly a selection of 60 repetitive and mediocre images doesn’t seem like such a great deal.

I hope these tips on choosing the right maternity photographer for you have been useful to read.

So please, take the time to look around at different photographers taking all the above into consideration and choose a photographer  who is right for YOU – and for the right reasons.

If you have any questions I would love to hear from you!  Feel free to call me on 07740 866 964.

 I am here to chat and answer any questions you may have.

I hope this blog post has been helpful and that you are one step closer to choosing the perfect photographer for your maternity photography session.