If you’ve started looking for a newborn photographer in Kent, you’ve probably already discovered that prices can vary enormously, and it isn’t always easy to work out exactly what’s included. Some photographers charge a session fee with photographs purchased separately, while others offer packages that include a set number of images. So how do you compare them, and what should you actually be looking for when choosing someone to photograph your new baby?
There isn’t one standard way that newborn photography is priced. Every photographer structures their sessions differently, which is why two photographers can appear to have very different prices at first glance. The important thing is understanding what you are paying for, what is included, and what you may choose to purchase afterwards.
Why do newborn photography prices vary so much?
Newborn photography is a very specialised area of photography, and there is much more involved than simply taking photographs of a sleeping baby. Experience, specialist training, the time allowed for each session, the way your baby is posed and handled, the photographer’s style, editing, and the products or digital images offered afterwards can all affect the price.
For me, one of the most important things is that a newborn session should never feel rushed. Babies do not work to a timetable, so there needs to be plenty of time for feeding, cuddles, changing and settling, with the session always led by what your baby needs.
Session fees, packages and collections: what’s the difference?
This is often where comparing photographers becomes confusing. A lower advertised price does not necessarily mean the whole experience costs less, and a higher price may already include photographs or products that are purchased separately elsewhere.
Some photographers offer all-inclusive packages, while others charge a session fee for the photography itself and allow you to choose your photographs afterwards. Neither approach is necessarily better. What matters is knowing exactly what is included before you book, so you can compare like for like and choose the option that feels right for you.
At Angel Moon Photography, my newborn session fee is £69. This covers the time and preparation involved in your session, which can last up to four hours so that there is never any need to rush your baby. Your photographs are not included in the session fee. Instead, you return to the studio for a viewing appointment, where you can see your finished gallery and decide which photographs and collection you would like to purchase.
I structure my sessions this way because I want you to be able to see your photographs before deciding what you would like to buy. There is no need to choose an image package before your baby has even been photographed.
What should you look for when choosing a newborn photographer?
Price is naturally going to be part of your decision, but with newborn photography there are other things worth considering too. You are handing your brand-new baby to someone you may only have just met, so feeling comfortable with their experience, approach and the way they handle newborns really matters.
Look through their work carefully and choose a photographer whose style you genuinely love. It is also worth asking about their newborn training, how sessions are approached if your baby needs feeding or settling, and whether poses are adapted to suit the individual baby rather than forced simply to achieve a particular photograph.
When should you book your newborn photography session?
If you know you would like newborn photographs, it is a good idea to book while you are still pregnant rather than waiting until your baby arrives. Most newborn photographers only take a limited number of sessions each month because babies rarely arrive exactly when expected, so some flexibility has to be kept in the diary.
At Angel Moon Photography, newborn sessions are usually booked using your due date. Once your baby arrives, we arrange the actual session date, with newborn photographs ideally taken within those early weeks when your baby is still very new.
So, how much should you expect to spend on newborn photography in Kent?
There is no single answer, as the final cost will depend on the photographer you choose and what you would like to take home from your session. When comparing prices, look beyond the initial figure and check whether it is a session fee only, whether digital photographs are included, how many images you receive, and whether printed products or wall art are available separately.
Most importantly, choose a photographer whose work you would genuinely love to have on your walls. Newborn photographs capture such a tiny window of time, and once those early days have passed, they cannot be recreated.
Looking for a newborn photographer in Kent?
If you are expecting a baby and looking for a newborn photographer in Kent, you are very welcome to have a look through my newborn photography portfolio and find out more about how my sessions work. My studio is based in Deal, Kent, welcoming families from Sandwich, Dover, Canterbury, Ramsgate, Margate, Folkestone and across East Kent.
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