The Business of Newborn Photography

Who doesn’t love sweet, adorable newborn babies? It seems increasingly popular for photographers to specialize in newborn portraiture, but how does one tailor their newborn photography business to meet the needs of their client? Read on for tips and tricks to do just that!

Newborn Safety is Key: My first most important tip is to keep safety key. After photographing 500 newborn babies and five years of exclusively photographing newborn babies, I can confidently say that I am skilled in the art of safe baby posing. A specialist should have exceptional handling skills to ensure that baby’s safety is met at all times. Many of the poses that are accomplished during newborn photography sessions (i.e. baby holding head up, hammock poses, baby on guitar, etc.) require the aid of one or two assistants. Many hours of Photoshop are often required in order to piece together composite images.

Newborn Training: A number of newborn training workshops are available to assist you in learning the art of newborn posing. It is a good idea to check the credentials and accreditations of the instructors hosting the classes to make sure you are learning from a knowledgeable teacher. It is my opinion that students learn far better when taking small group in person classes where they can have the opportunity to assist the teacher with wrapping techniques, etc. The more confident you are in safely working with newborn babies, the more your clients will feel at ease and comfortable during your newborn sessions.

Have an Appropriate Baby Working Space: If your chosen specialty is newborn babies, you will need to build a space to meet their needs. Having the basic necessities that baby needs, (i.e. baby wipes, newborn diapers, burp cloths, receiving blankets, nursing pillow) will go a long way in showing your clients you are familiar with newborn babies. Other items you will need throughout your session are blankets, change pads and other items that will keep baby comfortable throughout your newborn session.

Newborn Baby Handling: Your clients should feel you are a “baby whisperer”, quickly having the ability to settle and soothe an upset baby. It takes time to develop and hone these skills. Practice does make perfect. Engage in a support group of fellow photographers and attend as many photography classes and workshops as you can.

Show Only the Work You Love: If you desire to work solely with newborn babies, show only the work relevant to that market. The manner in which you promote yourself on your web site, blog and promotional cards will attract the clients you are seeking. Clients will commission you based on the work that you show. Therefore, it is a good idea to make a plan and determine which are your target markets. Then, show only work to attract those target markets. Developing strong branding in your target market will help you succeed in your business.

Have a Business Plan: Every business should have a business plan set out in writing and readily available to refer to at all times. A business plan should be a working document with constant changes being made to reflect your evolving business. Having an effective business plan with clear goals will help you on your path to success for your business.

Newborn Photography Products: Offer products that your clients would need for their newborn baby. Specialized birth announcement cards, keepsake albums, gallery wrapped canvas and wall prints are always popular items. It also helps to have a display area showcasing these items. Clients will generally buy what they see so having sample items will help to increase sales. Asking clients what the colors of the baby’s nursery room are will help you prepare your photography shoot by meeting your clients’ needs.

Newborn Packages: Your pricing and packages should be tailored towards your clients’ needs. All parents are proud to display their baby’s images on the wall so having packages with wall prints included is a good idea. Story albums are also popular as it is an easy way for mom and dad to share their images with friends and family. Tailoring your packages towards your clients’ needs will make it easy for them to order.
That’s it! If you are dedicated to specializing in newborn photography, now you have some great tips to assist you on your way! Keep practicing and never lose focus of your goal. You can get there!

About Chandra Lee

Chandra Lee has a love for all things baby. With a small child of her own, she finds happiness working with newborns in her boutique studio in Bowmanville, ON. Her work has been featured in an international photographic competition winning a Gold Award with the Worldwide Photography Gala Awards. Her work can also be found featured in the book Portraits and People 2011, the Globe and Mail and CHEX TV. She is a proud member of NAPCP and PPOC. Chandra is accredited in both Infant and Child Portraiture and Newborn Portraiture with the PPOC. Chandra takes great pride in capturing the beautiful art of her small subjects and looks forward to many more years working as a newborn photographic specialist.

Please visit the Toronto Newborn Photographer | Baby and Maternity Photography portfolio for more newborn, baby and maternity pictures.