Jill Matthews
Newborn Photography
I had the honor of showing a newborn baby girl recently my studio. So precious! And they grow up so fast!
I have been shooting family portraits since 1993 and I feel the one moment you really must capture in pictures is the first precious days when your sweet baby is still a newborn. These precious moments move on to other precious moments, but you will only have a newborn for the first week or so.
So you may ask, how do you prepare for your newborn babies first photo session? And how much does this all cost?
How to Prepare for Your Newborn Babies First Photo Session
Plan your babies last feeding to be about 30 minutes from when your session starts. You will want to arrive about 15 minutes before your session to consult with the photographer on outfits and how the session will go. Many parents do this last feeding in the car on the way or in the studio waiting room. Be sure to burp your baby and get her or him back to sleep. Babies like warm, so be sure to dress her or him nice and warm.
You will probably have special outfits you love and want him/her to be photographed in. In my experience, babies do NOT like outfit changes so maybe narrow these choices down to your two or three favorites. For me in my studio, I also spend many hours designing and planning out my own set of cool props and outfits for my babies who come for their first portrait. Also babies take longer doing everything, including photo shoots. Plan out a couple hours on this one. At least that's how long it takes in my studio.
For me in my studio, I usually take a few hours to edit and can have the digital gallery back for you to see by 8pm, usually same day.
How Much Does Newborn Photography Cost
All studios are different. I charge a little more than a regular family portrait session because lots of time is spent with outfit changes, settling baby back down, posing baby once again. This fee can be anywhere from $300 to $1000. You may want to ask about studio specials and packages. For me in my studio, I offer a "Watch Me Grow" series of sessions with an album at the end. This is 3 to 5 sessions spaced out over one or two years. The parents can schedule a session at a reduced package rate and have the pleasure of a finished baby album at the end to remember all the precious moments. In my experience, moments that are so easy to forget and pass by like the speed of light. The "Watch Me Grow" package can be differing prices in different studios ranging from $500 to $3000.
I know this sounds like quite an investment. I do take my role as your babies photographer very seriously. The newborn baby is just here fo a very short time. Before you know it, she or he is a toddler already. Turn around and he or she is starting kindergarten.
I would love to have the honor of photographing your precious baby. Please feel free to reach out and schedule a baby session at https://jillmatthewsphotography.setmore.com/
