Questions to Ask Your Iowa City Newborn Photographer

Do you ever wonder how in the world parents choose which newborn photographer is best to take their baby’s first photos? I, Ali of Ali Kerr Photography, will explain how to make the right choice for your family and also explore what questions you should be asking your Iowa City newborn photographer. 

Finding the Style of Your Iowa City Newborn Photographer

Hire an Iowa City Newborn Photographer You Trust

It can be so difficult to trust your brand new baby with a stranger. This is one of my many reasons I encourage mothers to be looking to book a maternity session with me before their newborn portrait session. Getting to know your newborn baby’s Iowa City photographer in other ways also helps build trust. I always hold consultations for my prospective clients. I want to let you not only design your session, but also want to build that trust and relationship before you are brining your baby into my Cedar Rapids studio. Building that relationship with your Iowa City newborn photographer allows you to relax during your session and know that your baby is well taken care of throughout the entire newborn portrait session. You deserve some time to relax and enjoy a moment with your significant other, spend some time on social media, or give your older child(ren) some extra attention now that there is a new baby. 

The Most Frequent Questions Iowa City Newborn Photographers Get

How can I get all my images?

While these questions might seem like the most important to ask your Iowa City Newborn photographer when searching, but these should come after booking your session. A seasoned Iowa City newborn photographer will have a prep guide, or at the very least some communication before your session, that answers all three of the first questions. I personally have a newborn, milestone, child, family, and maternity prep guides to answer all of these questions. The last question may seem very important, but check out my blog on digitals to see why you don’t need all of the images taken at the session. 

The Questions You Should be Asking Your Iowa City Newborn Photographer

Here are the top five questions you should be asking your prospective Iowa City newborn photographer. These should all be addressed before booking with your Iowa City newborn photography studio. A lot of parents don’t think to ask these very important questions. Let’s take a look at some of the best questions to ask your Iowa City newborn photographer.

1. What do you do to ensure safety of my newborn?

Iowa City Newborn in “froggy” pose

Iowa City Newborn in dad’s hands

Iowa City Newborn in bucket pose

2. What should we expect from a session with you and what is included?

You should never be surprised at your ordering appointment on what is included in the session. You should know before booking what is included and what is not. Your Iowa City newborn photographer should be clear with you and explain what you should expect. For myself, I always have at least two different communications with prospective clients before they book their Iowa City newborn session. 

3. What do you do as an Iowa City newborn photographer if my baby won’t settle?

4. How much experience do you have as an Iowa City newborn photographer?

This is a big one! Experience is everything. You may want to become a newborn photographer, or you may be one already. This does not mean you should do your newborn’s portraits. Your sister’s friend’s cousin may be experimenting with newborn photography, but that does not mean they are the right photographer for you. Think about your wedding photographer. Those photos are something you can never get back, there is no redoing that. You had to trust your wedding photographer with one fo the most special days of your life. Newborn portraits are no different. Your newborn baby’s first phots are not something you can get back. Don’t use them to launch your newborn photography career. Don’t just let someone use your baby for practice. If you can afford it, get the highest quality newborn photographer in the area. When I had my children I did not. Learn from my mistakes below. 

My first born was my first test baby. My first go around with newborns after shooting weddings for years. I did not hire a newborn photographer because, well nobody would take him as a newborn after his NICU time. Read about that story here. So I decided, heck I am a photographer how hard can it be. Big mistake. I should have hired an Iowa City newborn photographer to take family photos. I did not, do not repeat my mistake. After about three and a half years of learning and doing newborn portraits, I had my second baby. We still booked a newborn photographer. He decided to arrive early during the lockdowns and the first peak of covid. I ended up doing his photos myself as well. They turned out beautifully, but I did not get to be in a single photo with him. I did not get the service a new mother deserves for either of her newborn’s first portraits. As an Iowa City newborn photographer, I strive to ensure no other mother goes through this. We will get you beautiful images of the people you love most. We can document your memories for you to cherish for a lifetime.

I may have beautiful images of my second son, but I do not have a single professional image of the two of us together. 

5. What happens if you are sick, or if I am?

There should always be a backup plan. There should be plans to the backup plans. If starting off as a wedding photographer taught me anything, it is backup your backup’s backup. There are never enough plans for just in case. There are far too many scenarios of what could happen for this blog post. Ask your photographer what their backup plan is. My plan is always one of three fabulous photographer that live an hour or so away. They are happy to step in when needed to complete the posing for the session. Everything is pre-styled for them ahead of time, and I hand edit all of the images they take. 

Click here to view our newborn portfolio. Check out our Instagram , Pinterest, or Facebook group for more images. Book Ali as your Iowa City newborn photographer today!