Your Essential Guide to Keepsake Photos (+ my biggest regret)

 

If you're a mom to a little one, you know how quickly kids grow. Your tiny bundle of joy and all of those adorable little features evolve in the blink of an eye (sometimes literally overnight). For this reason, it's easy to feel a sense of urgency in preserving these moments in photos. While I recognize that I might be a little more sentimental than the average parent (is there such a thing as too many baby books?) I do feel that having a few milestones photos for your child and family is an important effort to undertake. 

In that regard, one decision I've seen many a mother struggle with is, should I hire a professional?

This post will offer you some guidance in this arena and, if you're anything like me, hopefully alleviate some of the anxiety of what can feel like a critical choice. I'm going to break down my advice by the type of photos people tend to want to preserve, and my experience, including one major mistake I made in a decision I came to regret. 

Newborn Photos - Hire a Pro

If you've already given birth to a child, you know how quickly they outgrow those newborn diapers and onesies. After those first few weeks of their life, their features have already drastically changed. My daughter, for example, on her second day in the hospital had jet black hair and a much darker complexion like that of her father. Just a month later, her hair had lightened to a medium brown and her complexion had lightened too. Her hands and feet were bigger and her facial features had already changed. 

My husband and I have always considered ourselves photography enthusiasts, and figured we had baby photos in the bag. Why pay hundreds of dollars for something we can do for free? Well, let me tell you. This decision turned out to be one I'll regret forever. As a new mom, I was panicked at the thought of positioning her in and out of poses, too afraid of the lights we had that the photos turned out much too dark. We tried to keep the whole thing short, to disturb her as little as possible and only ended up with a few decent options. Another reason I wish I'd hired a pro is that we could have gotten professional quality photos of my husband and me holding our newborn, which is something I hadn't considered until much later. Another huge regret. 

If you or spouse is anything like mine, you might be thinking. Well, let me try it on my own. If it fails, I'll hire a professional. My one bit of caution for you is consider that a lot of photographers book up well in advance and may not have an opening for you when you want it. From the research I have done, most photographers urge their clients to book months before the baby's due date. 

If you have the budget or can make room for it, I highly recommend hiring a professional. I wish I had.

Milestone Photos - DIY

All of that being said, there is a time and place for do-it-yourself photography. And that, I feel, is monthly milestone photos. My reasoning here is that there are more opportunities for learning and trying new things. You can always reshoot if you want to, or just try again the next month. When my daughter was turning 6 months, I strongly considered hiring a professional for some portrait photos and ended up opting to do them ourselves. This time, I was happy that I did. 

At six months old, my daughter was stronger and easier to pose ourselves. She didn't require special furniture or props to lift her up. We had also learned a thing or two after the months of practice and our lighting and angles turned out beautifully. For those of you looking for tips on DIY Baby Photography, I have a whole post dedicated to this subject.

Family Photos - Hire a Pro

If you only have the budget for one, this is the category I suggest. You may be thinking that you can setup a tripod and put your camera on a timer, or that you'll just ask a family friend who's good at photography. But hear me out.

Having done both professional and DIY family photos, let me tell you that it's hard enough to get your family bathed, dressed and out the door without fumbling with equipment, wrangling everyone, and trying to pose yourselves. And that loved one you're asking to take your photos? You may not want to run the risk of disappointment and hurt feelings if they don't turn out the way you wanted. Heed my warning here. It's not worth the stress. Besides, you'll have far better results when you hire a professional. Remember that professional photographers are paid to make you and your family look good. 

I personally plan on taking professional family photos once a year to document our growing family. 

Maternity Photos - It depends.

If you have at least one other child and you are pregnant, I would opt for professional family photos with a few dedicated snaps of your baby bump. If it's your first child and you have the budget, I say go for a professional photoshoot! It's an exciting time in your life and it's worth celebrating! But if money is tight and you can only do one, I say save the money and spend them on newborn photos instead. 

We had a family member take our maternity photos and they actually turned out beautifully! But if they hadn't, I don't think I would have been too disappointed. This is the main question I'd ask yourself. 

Questions to Ask Yourself to Help with Your Decision:

1. Will I regret not having professional photos?
2. If things go wrong, can we retake them?
3. Will DIY-ing our photos cause more stress than the money is worth just paying a professional?
4. How long has it been since our family has had professional photos taken (if ever)?
5. What will I wish we had captured in 20 years?
6. Is the money worth flattering, professional photos that will last a lifetime?

Some Money-Saving Tips:

• Book a Mini Session. If money is tight, don't pay for the traditional packages on the photographer's website. Instead, give them a call or check out their social media to look for a mini session instead. Typically, mini sessions are geared toward family photos, but I've seen mini sessions for newborns before. They may just take a bit more research to find. 
• Double up. Pay the extra fee (if needed) to include you, your spouse, and any other kiddos in the newborn photography session. This way you'll have newborn and family photos for basically the same hit to your wallet. 

Use Caution

• If you see a deal that looks too good to be true, it probably is. Sometimes photographers offer free photoshoots where you just pay for the photos. A lot of these are legit, but there can be some scams mixed in. Look for reviews, their Facebook page, and an address to verify they live in your area. And of course, check out their portfolio before making a decision.
• Another thing to consider is that the photographer may be new and looking to build a portfolio. This decision is up to you, but personally I wouldn't risk once in a lifetime photos not turning out the way I want just because I am getting them cheap. 

I know it can be hard to justify the expense of hiring a professional photographer, no matter what kind of budget we're working with. And while they post may have swayed slightly in favor of hiring a professional, trust me when I say that there are still PLENTY of great opportunities to take incredible keepsake photos at home. My daughter is 18 months old at the time I'm writing this and while we've hiring a professional photographer twice, we've done literally dozens of DIY photoshoots at home. And the pictures we have a results I will cherish for the rest of my life. 

No matter which route you choose, you'll never regret capturing these moments with you and your kiddos. Hopefully this guide has helped you make the right decision for your family. 

Do you have any photography regrets? How do you prioritize keepsake photos?

If no one's told you today,

You're doing great, Mama. 💓

I am a blogger mama raising a toddler as I attempt to work from home, keep food on the table, and keep the house intact, all while finding those precious moments of self care. I hope my blog encourages moms to take it all in, to savor our time with out children without forgetting about ourselves in the process. My goal in creating this space is not about productivity, but getting the most out of this life we are lucky to live. Whether that means pursuing your passions or being a happy and present mom. Not to encourage moms to do more, but to support moms in whatever they desire to be.