How much does newborn photography cost?

A comprehensive guide to baby photography and newborn photography prices and your investment.

One of the questions we’re asked most by expecting or new parents is: How much does newborn photography cost?

In fact, we get this question a lot! Typically, it’s one of the very first questions we hear from first-time expecting parents or those who don’t have a lot of experience in working with a specialist newborn photographer. If that’s you, that’s totally okay and perfectly understandable. Everyone was a first-timer once. 🙂   In fact, this is just for you!

This article does not aim to promote my business. Instead, I’m hoping to share honest information about an industry many clients find confusing. Regardless of whether you choose to work with Truly Madly Deeply – Maternity and Newborn Photography, I hope you find it helpful.

That said, and perhaps not unexpectedly, the answer to the question, “How much does newborn and baby photography cost?” is … “it depends.“

Costs can vary greatly according to many variables that may or may not be relevant to you. In this post, I’ll try my best to explain pricing variables in general and then get as specific as possible.

And don’t forget to click the links throughout this article to download the free Newborn Photography Cost Comparison Table. No email address is needed.

Just like most any category of products and services, the price varies from cheap to exorbitant.  The good news is, up to a certain price point (which we’ll call the “luxury”  level), your price is usually a reasonable indicator of the skills and professionalism of your photographer and the quality of the print products they offer.

At the “luxury level” and beyond, there is often little appreciable difference in the photographer’s skill, image quality, customer service, or print product quality. At the luxury end of the market, clients may pay more for the luxury photographer’s reputation, higher profit margins, and higher overhead costs of operating a studio in a high-cost market.

GET THE FREE NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY COST COMPARISON TABLE
To download – CLICK HERE
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Introduction to newborn photography and answering the question about cost

Understandably, many parents look forward to working with a professional newborn photographer to create newborn portraits and family photographs of their newborn child. After all, your baby’s first days will pass by quickly and will then be gone forever … relegated to memory and then lost to future generations.

Hiring a professional, experienced photographer who specializes in baby and newborn photography can ensure that have not just the beautiful, high-quality images you desire, but the prints, wall art, and albums you’ll cherish for your lifetime and pass on to those who follow.

But how much should you expect to pay for newborn photography? Below, I’ll break down the factors that affect newborn photography pricing and help you understand how much it might add up to.

This is information based only on my experience as a maternity and newborn photographer. It is not applicable to every circumstance and does not replace your responsibility to do your own due diligence in assessing your photography options.

GET THE FREE NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY COST COMPARISON TABLE
To download – CLICK HERE
No email address required

The “average” cost of newborn photography

The cost of newborn photography can vary widely depending on the photographer, the location, and the package you choose.

To work with high-quality, reputable, experienced, professional newborn photographer in the United States, on you should expect to pay between $250 and $500 for your newborn photography session.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that this is just the typical price range. Some photographers may charge much more or much less than this.

Further, some photographers may include bonuses with their photography session fee, ranging from a collection of digital files to a gift certificate to purchase wall art, prints, albums, and other print products. Yet, for other photographers, the session fee may include just the session, and any files or print products you want may all require an additional investment.

Katerina’s tip: If a photographer’s newborn photography session fee is notably cheaper than $250, consider this a possible “red flag” worthy of your deeper investigation. Cheap prices are sometimes a sign of a less experienced photographer or one that does not have specialized skills and training in safely handling and photographing newborns. Or worse, cheap prices can be a sign of an amateur photographer posing as a professional, and they may not be operating a registered and insured business. Ask lots of questions. I’m really not being elitist; this is a matter of your family’s safety.

Related: Why you should work with a professional newborn photographer

Related: Is newborn photography worth it? Avoiding the regret of not getting professional baby photos.

Factors that affect newborn photography prices

Several factors can affect the cost of newborn photography. Here are some of the most important ones to consider:

Experience, Training, and Skill of the Photographer

One of the most significant factors that can affect newborn photography pricing is the experience, training, and skill of the photographer.

Generally, more experienced photographers, who have been in business for a longer time and have more training, education, and skills, will charge more for their services.

That just makes basic sense, right? In any industry, a less experienced business owner is more likely to try to build up their business by offering lower prices to attract more clients who prioritize the price ahead of the business owner’s experience, skills, training, and proven results.

By comparison, a more experienced photographer is more likely to be able to produce high-quality images and have a better understanding of lighting, posing, and other technical aspects of photography. All other factors being equal, a more experienced photographer is also likely to have a greater awareness of newborn safety and how to safely handle your baby.

Related: Truly Madly Deeply Named Central Florida’s Only Qualified Newborn Photographer

Like choosing your surgeon, you can choose your photographer based on price. But like choosing a surgeon, do you want the cheap one or the one who has safely performed this task hundreds of times and has happy clients to prove the quality of the result?

Location

Another factor that can affect the cost of newborn photography is location. Photographers in larger cities or more expensive areas may charge more for their services, simply because the cost of living and operating a business is higher in these areas.

Related, if you choose a photographer who will travel to you (rather than you visiting the photographer’s studio), you should expect to pay additional charges for the photographer’s travel time, travel-related expenses, and the time it takes the photographer to load the vehicle, set up on location, etc.

Session Length and Type

The length and type of session you choose can also affect the cost of newborn photography. Some photographers offer shorter sessions that last only an hour or two (and sometimes much less), while others may offer longer sessions that last several hours.

Similarly, some photographers may offer different types of sessions, such as in-studio sessions or outdoor sessions, or a combination of indoor and outdoor.

Typically, longer sessions or sessions that include multiple locations or setups will cost more than shorter sessions or sessions that take place in a single location.

Newborn photography sessions to create the curly newborn baby poses so many parents love require your baby to be in a deep sleep. For this type of newborn photography, you should expect a session time of between 2 to 4 hours (sometimes longer if your baby is fussy). For this reason, the session fee for this type of newborn photography is generally higher.

Products and Packages

Finally, the products and packages offered by the photographer can also affect the cost of newborn photography. At the two ends of the product and package spectrum are photographers who charge a flat rate for their session and include (often unedited) digital files, and those who offer fully retouched images and heirloom-quality products ranging from prints, framed wall art pieces, albums, and more.

Keep in mind that some photographers may also charge additional fees for editing, retouching, or other services, so it’s important to ask about these fees upfront to avoid any surprises.

 

GET THE FREE NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY COST COMPARISON TABLE
To download – CLICK HERE
No email address required

Understanding newborn photography packages

 Some newborn photographers offer packages that include a certain number of images or products for a set price. These packages can vary widely depending on the photographer, but here are some of the most common types of packages you might encounter:

Digital-Only Packages

Digital-only packages are typically the cheapest option and are typically offered by less-experienced and less-skilled newborn photographers who are trying to break into the newborn photographer market. These packages typically include a set number of image files provided by the photographer, often as digital files you need to download.

You will need to establish upfront whether the digital files will be professionally retouched or edited before you receive them.

And you will likely need to print these images yourself or have them printed through a separate service. You should note, however, even though you may have the right to print the images, the photographer will typically retain the copyright for the images and may restrict how you can use the files. Some photographers will impose no usage restrictions, whereas others may allow you only to print the files and not edit or alter them.

Katerina’s tip: If you’re think you’d prefer to work with a newborn photographer who offers only digital files in order to save money, consider that digital files are susceptible to being lost or corrupted, and the storage media can become outdated. Have you tried lately to open a photo from a floppy disc? Even a photo saved to CD less than a decade ago is now increasingly difficult to open as most computers no longer have a CD drive. You don’t want your precious newborn images lost to eternity because your flash drive or Dropbox is no longer accessible 10 years from now.

Print Packages

Print packages are a good option if you’re looking for physical prints of your newborn photos. Your photographer may offer individual prints of your images in various sizes and at various prices, or sell collections/packages of prints at a discounted rate. With an endless range of print sizes, quality and options available, see the table below for indicative price ranges.

Album Packages

Album packages to showcase your newborn photos can range from high-volume-low-quality, factory-quality photo books to custom-designed, artisan-crafted, heirloom-quality albums that will last generations. These albums can be a beautiful way to display your images and make a wonderful keepsake. Higher-end photographers may also offer options for personalized covers and cover materials, thinker or thinner pages, additional pages, and other valuable album upgrades.

In my experience, you generally get what you pay for when it comes to albums. They can range in price from ~$100 to several thousand dollars. At one end of that scale, expect a cheap print book that will quickly look tattered and will unlikely endure; at the other end of the scale, expect a luxurious book you’ll love showing off to your family and friends and that will become a cherished possession of future generations.

Custom Packages

Custom packages are ideal if you have specific needs or requests for your newborn photography session. With a custom package, you can work with the photographer to create a package that meets your unique needs and preferences.

Tips for choosing a newborn photographer and how your choices may affect the cost

When it comes to choosing a newborn photographer, there are a few key things to keep in mind. Here are some tips to help you choose the right photographer for your needs:

Look at Their Portfolio

Before choosing a photographer, it’s important to look at their portfolio to see if their style and approach to newborn photography align with your preferences. Look for photographers whose images align with your vision and preferences of how you want to remember the beauty and importance of this special time.

The photographer’s portfolio may be an indicator of cost. Generally, casual, candid, lifestyle-type shots can be captured quickly and with reduced effort by the photographers. Conversely, the artistic, carefully posed classic newborn portraits that are so popular with new parents do take considerable time, effort, equipment, and editing—and require a more skilled newborn photography specialist—and may therefore command a higher photography session fee.

Check Reviews and Recommendations

Check reviews and recommendations from other clients before choosing a newborn photographer. Look for photographers who have positive reviews and recommendations from other parents, as this can be a good indication of the quality of their work and customer service.

Reviews may impact your investment as newborn photographers with more and higher reviews will typically be in greater demand … but the additional peace-of-mind will be worth it for many new parents.

Consider the Photographer’s Experience and Training

As mentioned earlier, the experience and training of the photographer can be an important factor to consider when choosing a newborn photographer and could dramatically affect the size of your investment. Personally, I recommend you work with an experienced and trained newborn photographer. While the initial cost may be higher (maybe as much as a couple of hundred dollars higher), that cost difference will be long forgotten in the years you’ll continue looking back at your baby’s newborn portraits. The alternative, of course, is a bunch of newborn images that you really don’t like and the additional risk of putting your new baby in the hands of a less experienced professional.

 

GET THE FREE NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY COST COMPARISON TABLE
To download – CLICK HERE
No email address required

Conclusion

In summary, the cost of newborn photography can vary widely depending on a variety of factors, including the experience of the photographer, location, session length and type, and products and packages offered.

In general, in the United States, you might expect to pay between $250 and $500 for a newborn photography session with a highly skilled and experienced newborn photographer, but this is just an estimate and some photographers may charge more or less than this. In addition, you will want to budget for your choice of wall art, prints, albums, and other products to display in your home and gift to family and friends.

Like most things in life, you may find less costly newborn photographers, but you should carefully weigh the benefit of saving a few dollars with the likelihood of receiving the quality images you desire and the quality of print products that will allow you to enjoy your baby’s newborn portraits over your entire lifetime and then hand them down to future generations.