Newborn photography recommendation

[SportzBlonde]

Hi there!

I have a good friend who's due to give birth in March. It'll be her first, though her partner has a daughter from a previous marriage.

As a present I intend to pay for a session with a photographer, so she has some beautiful photographs of her with her son (they just found out!). I know she'll love this, and I don't think she's thought to have anything like this done herself.

Please can anyone possibly recommend a good Newborn Photographer in Surrey, or further afield but who can travel without costing the earth?

My friend is in her late 20s, and a bit of a 'hipster'. In other words she's quite cool, a bit edgy, into modern art and design and so on. I think she'd get along better with a like-minded, young-ish photographer with a quite modern eye, than an more old-fashioned, formal photographer. (Does that make sense?) She's knowledgeable (and picky!) enough to notice if the photographer is at all amateurish or not too imaginative as well, so it has to be someone genuinely talented and professional!

Also, how much should I expect to pay for this sort of service? I can afford to spend up to about £200, I don't know whether that's enough. And how long a session is sensible?

Any assistance would be hugely appreciated! Thanks in advance!

She's in kent but does travel. I adore Lyanne's photos. www.lyannewylde.com

Hi there SportzBlonde,

I know you're looking for recommendations from other mumsnetters, so I'm not going to try and be pushy about my own newborn photography, but I think I can give you some advice.

You will possibly find someone who will offer you a package at £200, but it sounds like your friend knows what good photography looks like. Anywhere from £400->£1000 would be more realistic for a beautiful, bespoke newborn session including some of the resulting photos. If you'd like to just give your friend the session and then let her decide what/if she'd like to buy prints/canvases/frames, then your £200 is realistic.

A newborn session is best during the first 2 weeks of baby's life (baby can be posed while they sleep, less erratic limb movements). When the session is a surprise gift, it's quite possible that the new mum won't even think about a photo shoot during those first few weeks. They will probably put the voucher to one side and pick it up again a few months down the line. Typically, for newborn shoots, I have already spoken to and prepared mums, while they are pregnant. So, do check whether the voucher will also be valid for a shoot when baby is older, if your friend ultimately decides to wait a bit.

Just a thought, but you could pick a few photographers and then let your friend decide which one suits her style best?

I wonder whether your friend has thought about a pregnancy shoot? You will find that some photographers offer special deals for bump to baby packages.

I'm more than happy to chat if you'd like, obviously no obligation: www.victoriab.co.uk .

Good luck with it,
Victoria