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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

New born photo session

48 replies

sazzleevans · 12/02/2011 16:42

We are a bit short of cash at the moment but I would really love a newborn photo session. I have a session booked in for next week when my baby will be 2 weeks old. I have 21 month old twin girls too and am going to ask for a picture of all 3 together.

Do you think it's OTT when money is tight? Just keep thinking once the newborn phase has gone I can't recapture it. I take loads of photos but rould love a professional one for sideboard. Be a real keep sake.

Opinions?

OP posts:

allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 12/02/2011 17:51

Have you not got a voucher in with your bounty pack for a free session?
Didnt use mine, but I did have one...

If you didnt, search online and you might find a "one photo for free" type thing that relies on you buying more. Then just dont :)

However, the best photo I have of my DS at newborn age is one I took on my phone before we left the hospital...

Shitemum · 12/02/2011 18:02

You can take your own photos.
I have had brilliant results using a plain blanket or sheet on the floor and getting the kids to lie on it while I stand over them snapping from above. They roll about a bit but move around less than if they were sitting or standing. You can get some cute cuddly shots with babies and older siblings this way.Do some with simple clothes - white t-shirts or no clothes if they are toddlers.
Get them printed in black and white.
When they were older I did a photo session with them standing on a bed with a plain white wall behind them. The light was natural, window nearby, and they were bouncing up and down and giggling - got some great shots with an ordinary digital camera.
The trick is to have a plain background and good natural light. Also do it quickly as they soon get bored!

You can definitely have session done for less than 75 quid if your heart is set on it.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 12/02/2011 18:08

Please don't let them put your DC in flowerpots/ suitcases/ baskets.

EauRouge · 12/02/2011 18:12

Is there a college near you that does a photography course? You might be able to get a student to do some pics on the cheap.

A1980 · 12/02/2011 19:13

It's a bit of a waste.

Perhaps better to wait until the newborn is a bit older and looks something like the person he she will become? Can sit up and smile at the camera with eyes open, etc. £275 is alot of money for a photo of a tiny baby with it's eyes shut, sleeping.

£275 is also pretty steep. If money is tight why not wait until Pixie photo does the rounds at boots. A few of my friends had those done, they're pretty good.

Firawla · 12/02/2011 19:15

yanbu to want it done but as some people have mentioned go to independant photographer, or photography students etc can get you a better deal sometimes can even have them done for free if you're lucky. i wouldn't want to pay the prices of the likes of venture personally as you hear of people spending thousands!! i wouldn't buy prints from a studio, if you can get all the images on a disk for a better price then sort out your own canvasses prints etc, as you can get better deal by shopping around

Bogeyface · 12/02/2011 19:22

The nicest photos I have of my lot are the odd ones out of a whole ream we took! A professional photographer can capture the moment in the way an amateur cant, so the way around that is to take as many as you can in one session and pick out the odd one you like!

With digital cameras, it doesnt cost you anything to take and view them, just use the best quality camera you can.

I really wouldnt spend £200 on photos when money is tight, it seems that you could spend that on something far more useful for you all. Getting one of your own blown up and framed would cost alot less than £200. Depending on the program, alot of camera software allow you to touch up the pics too, getting rid of red eye, converting to sepia or black and white etc.

firesoup · 12/02/2011 20:55

i love photos so can totally understand it, infact can remember sobbing when we came home from the photographers with our newborn cos i wanted more pics that we couldn't really afford (yes i did go back and buy them and don't regret it one bit, although it was much cheaper £100 for all photos on a disk)

where abouts are you?

pickledpoo · 12/02/2011 21:20

I used to think this sort of thing was a total waste of money - I was really against it, in fact. But then we had the offer of a totally free, no strings-attached session, which we took - and the photos were amazing (dd was 2 days old at the time!) In a different league to ours. We ended up buying a cd of images for less than 100 quid. They are the only ones we have actually printed out/framed etc. I am converted!

PaperView · 12/02/2011 21:26

You don't need a professional, you need someone with a decent camera who is good at taking photo's.

It's not something i would do at that stage tbh. We had some taken of DS1&2 when DS2 was 6 weeks old. That was quite stressful. The ones i took at home around the same time are fab though.

NinkyNonker · 12/02/2011 21:42

I wouldn't.

kaid100 · 12/02/2011 21:44

Did you not get a voucher for a free photo session in your bounty pack? We got ours done a couple of weeks ago and picked up the photo yesterday.

RumpelstiltskinsHat · 12/02/2011 21:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RumpelstiltskinsHat · 12/02/2011 21:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Booandpops · 12/02/2011 22:20

I'm a Prof photographer and don't believe in ripping people off so I'd say don't go to the high street company that I won't mention but rhymes with denture, as you will get a massive bill to pay for one picture. If yr using a local person freelance maybe and you have been quoted the fees up front then go for it. Newborn photos are precious. They only look like that for 3 weeks max so you will forget it so quickly My Dcs newborn pics are wonderful but I took them myself so didn't pay :0)

saycheese · 12/02/2011 22:30

im studying photography, and every term we have assignments to do and have to beg people to model for us, so i would defiantly recommend you speak to the photography department at a college near you. where abouts are you? x

Morloth · 12/02/2011 22:46

I don't bother, personally I find most professional photos a bit weird looking (yes, even the good ones).

If money was tight I wouldn't be wasting it on this.

AuntiePickleBottom · 13/02/2011 08:33

i love my photos from venture, due to the price there would be no way i would get them again.

Teapot13 · 13/02/2011 09:03

I took DD to a photographer and the photos were definitely nicer than I could have done.

We used them as Christmas and birthday presents for various relatives, so I don't think it turned out being all that expensive in the end.

Fernie3 · 13/02/2011 09:11

If its what you really want then you only really have one chance - they don't stay newborn,
Having said that i took some really nice ones of my last baby myself, they were the type where they are naked in a ball if you see what i mean and look lovely!. I just striped her down and scrunched her up on a blanket :)

mumbar · 13/02/2011 09:22

I did a similar thing with DS and I couldn't afford the photos.

I found a company offering the photo session and a small framed photo for £25. I did this and didn't get talked into financing for a large ridiculously priced photo. I then held a 'party' for the company where if they sell so many £25 packages you get a large framed photo (£315 to buy) for free. My mum bought me a package from my party!!

Result is I have 3 small framed photos and 2 large framed ones for £25.

Pumpster · 13/02/2011 12:57

Have you looked at the 'groupon.com' website? Or Offeroftheday? They often have photo shoots at good prices. I would also wait til the newborn is about 3 or 4 months as they are more photogenic then IMO.

buttonmooncup · 13/02/2011 16:18

Tbh I would just get the kids in nice outfits and do a loads of my own and pick out the best. In my experience some of the pictures I've taken myself have been on a par quality-wise with the professional ones I've had done and I'm no photographer - but if you take enough there will be quite a few nice ones. And you can upload them and get them blown up and printed for coppers at places like Tesco photo online.

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