I've been there. I have two boys and took newborn photos almost 10 years ago of my son, Charlie. At the time it was expensive for me, but I went ahead and booked the session. It was an investment for my family and I'm happy I did it. But I had no idea at that time what went into a newborn session or why the costs were high. I thought the cost was ridiculous, actually. I was uneducated about how much work the photographer did leading up to, during and after the session to get those images in my hands. Completely forgetting that she had rent, utilities, props, and who knows what else to pay for. Now that I do, I see the value.

Most people want newborn photos, but are horrified at the costs. I'm a firm believer in "you get what you pay for." It's true, right? With anything. If you want a great service and product, you can expect to pay more for it. Can you get anything cheaper? Yes. But you have to sacrifice something.

If you do go with a cheaper photographer, I can guarantee you'll be cutting either time, quality or service. As someone who strives to create the very best experience for the families that come to see me, I don't want to cut anything from that list. I want to give them a relaxed studio setting where they can stay for hours & relax while I keep their newborn safe. I never ever want to skip on the quality of photos I produce or the wide variety of props and outfits I can provide. So for that, I do need to charge a certain rate.

We run businesses where clients sometimes forget that we pay for rent, utilities, cameras, lenses, software, props, insurance and more. Owning a photography studio is expensive, but what we gift is priceless. Heirlooms for your family to hold onto for generations to come. It's worth it and I would do it again with my kiddos again in a heartbeat (... and tip the photographer). xo, Nicole