Two of my boys recently celebrated birthdays and thanks to apps like TimeHop and the likes thereof, I was confronted with images from the past- most of which put a smile on my face, reminding me of just how small and sweet they were. But, if I’m being honest, seeing the newborn photos I took of them didn’t produce quite the same response. My oldest is now 10 years old. I can confidently say that my skill as a newborn photographer has improved since then. Artists tend to be their own worst critics, and I’m no different. I often have to remind myself that the only photographer I should compare myself to is the one I used to be. Hence, the cringe when I see some of my old work, even when it’s of my own children -like my poor Owen in the uber-colorful shot below! Even he cringed when I showed him! 🙂  

“Every artist was first an amateur.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

I’ve often been asked how I got into this business and what sort of education I’ve had.  Like many (or most) newborn photographers that have been doing this as long as I have (12+ years), I started out without any educational tools at all.  They really just didn’t exist.  When it came to handling newborns, my background as a NICU nurse was certainly helpful.  But there weren’t any educational groups or workshops for photographing newborns back then. I took a basic camera course and went by trial and error from there. Photographers that have been doing this for a while will surely remember Flickr- I was surprised to discover that site still exists!  There were some newborn photographers that would post their behind-the-scenes pictures there.  These images almost always showed the same few IKEA blankets (Ofelia was a fav!) in use as backdrops draped over some sort of beanbag or ottoman.  This is where a lot of us started- a Walmart beanbag and IKEA blankets.  Etsy became the go-to for props which primarily consisted of chunky crochet hats, big flower headbands, mesh cheesecloth wraps in every color of the rainbow, ruffle rompers and tutus.

I don’t remember exactly when it changed, but it was seemingly overnight that the Newborn Photography industry exploded.  Suddenly, numerous prop shops all over the globe were selling things you didn’t know you needed but were excited to buy. The same goes for newborn photography courses and workshops which were now available from many different photographers both in-person and online.  Safety, posing, lighting, wrapping, styling, pricing- you name it- there was a course available for it.

“Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.”

Earlier this year I attended my first ever in-person workshop with the insanely talented, Amy Scott (McDaniel) of Dewdrops Photography. She’s a very well known name in the newborn photography industry and travels the world doing workshops. At the time of my writing this, she has 126K followers on Instagram! I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at all intimidated meeting her. The workshop was a birthday gift from my husband and I knew based on the agenda that I probably wasn’t going to learn anything new, BUT it was still an awesome experience and a privilege getting to meet her. Prior to her workshop, all of my learning had been virtual. I’d be happy to share the online resources I’ve found most beneficial with any photographers interested- don’t hesitate to ask!

For my next post, I’m planning to share some before/after edits. When it comes to professional photography, clicking the shutter is really just one step in the process. Hiring a professional photographer with some solid editing skills can really elevate the look of your final images. Stay tuned!