How Much Does a Newborn Photo Session Cost in the Seattle Area?
Being a new parent is a life changing journey. You are likely to be in a fog for many weeks after the birth of your baby. All of the little details of your new baby change so quickly in a matter of weeks and months after birth. This is why newborn photography is so important in capturing those little details into memories you will cherish forever. While every new parent would like to have pictures of their newborn, the cost of professional photos can be overwhelming and confusing when trying to select a newborn photographer.
How much does it really cost to get newborn photos taken? There is no simple answer to this question. There are many factors that go into newborn photography pricing including the experience of the photographer, which means you will find pricing and packages amongst photographers will vary greatly.
To give you an idea of what goes into pricing for a newborn session, here are some factors to consider which may help shed some light on what is considered in the pricing.
Newborn Photo Session Cost Factors
Newborn photography Skill and Expertise of the Photographer:
As with any industry, there is a wide range of skill level amongst newborn photography. It is important to note that your baby’s safety and comfort is of utmost importance and appropriate training is critical. I have invested thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours over the years to learn proper newborn safety and posing techniques. I have taken numerous newborn workshops with well respected newborn photographers across the country. I participate in live webinars and purchase online photography classes in order to continually learn and improve my skills. It is important to choose someone that you know is experienced to handle your precious newborn.
Time:
Newborn photography takes time. A typical newborn session can last 2-3 hours. During a newborn session, we stop as often as the baby needs to stop to be fed and then soothed to sleep. From there we move to posing, soothing, positioning, changing backdrops, changing outfits, stuffing props, cleaning messes, stopping for cuddle time, and possibly another feeding. Those of you who have seen me with a newborn knows the time it takes and patience to get every finger straight and every pose perfect. It took many hours to learn how to manipulate your little ones in a way that does not disturb them.
Editing:
The session itself is only the beginning. Once you leave my studio, there are several hours of editing work ahead. I pay for editing software, presets, and I pay myself for my time. The amount of time spent editing is more time consuming compared to most other sessions. The pictures you see of those newborns with the creamy smooth skin is actually a result of a great deal of work behind the scenes. Newborn skin can be red, yellow, purple, blotchy, acne covered, or all of the above. They come with peeling skin, stork bites, hairy bodies, Mongolian spots, and gunky eyes. Many hours of work go into creating the creamy and beautiful finished product that you receive.
Newborn Props:
Although they may be for the smallest humans, the outfits for newborns are probably the most expensive. I spend around $20 for a wrap, $25 per headband, $40 per bonnet, and $60 and up per romper on the LOW end. That is for ONE item, not the hundreds of colors and options that I provide to you. Custom designs are even more expensive. It is not uncommon to pay $40 shipping costs on something as simple as bowls. Newborn poop can stain and occasionally things cannot be hand washed and have to get thrown and replaced. I also wash in between every single baby for sanitary reasons so things tend get worn out quickly. I am constantly ordering new props to in order to provide a variety of options for my families.
Studio Equipment:
From my camera to my studio light to the posing table. These items are costly to obtain and over time need to be replaced. I make sure I have the best equipment in order for me to capture those perfect images of your precious baby.
Studio Space and Other Business Expenses:
Photographers may have their own studio space or may travel to a clients home for a newborn session. Either way there are expenses associated with running a business. I have my business license, pay business taxes and purchase insurance for my studio. There are other expenses such as website fees, software fees and professional membership fees. It is important to me that my business is professional and this includes operating as a legitimate business because that is what it is.
To Summarize
I hope this information is valuable as you research newborn photographers. At the end of the day, finding a photographer that has baby safety as their top priority and can provide you those beautiful images you dream of hanging on your wall is what is most important.
I hope this has helped to explain why the prices for newborn photography vary so much, and what might cause one photographer to charge more than another.
If you have any other questions about the costs of newborn photography, feel free to contract me directly via the link below.
Hello & welcome!
I’m Torri Howard, a professional, award-winning newborn, maternity, and family photographer serving Seattle and surrounding areas including Bothell, Tacoma, Kirkland, Bellevue, Puyallup, Renton, and Woodinville, WA. Please stay a while and take a moment to look around.
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