Another Thread on Baby Photography

[MrsK]

This field seems to have changed a lot since I was a kid and mom used to just take us to Olan Mills. What's the standard? How much should I expect to spend? I just spoke with a photographer that charges $100 for a photo CD with unlimited reproduction rights. She comes to the house and spends 1.5 hours with the baby. I don't know whether this is a good deal or not. Am I better off going to a studio? Also, she wants DrK and I to be in the photos. We both feel and look like crud these days. Not sure if I should agree to participate. Any thoughts?

[MarissaNicole]

I think it sounds like a good price to me.
You could probably do it a little cheaper ($25-$50) if you went to a department store, but I think it is worth the extra cost for:
1) them to come to your home
2) unlimited reproduction (it is much cheaper to print them yourself, and you will have them in the digital form to give family as many copies of prints as they want).

ETA: 3) They spend 1.5 hours with the baby, you won't get that much time at a department store studio

You can always have her take a FEW of you and Dr. K but explain that you feel like crap and don't really want your photo taken. You might be happy with them, but if you don't like them it won't seem like a waste.)

I think that is a really good price... and SO worth it.
You should definitely do it I can't wait to see what she comes up with.

[v-girl]

Great price!!!

This field seems to have changed a lot since I was a kid and mom used to just take us to Olan Mills. What's the standard? How much should I expect to spend? I just spoke with a photographer that charges $100 for a photo CD with unlimited reproduction rights. She comes to the house and spends 1.5 hours with the baby. I don't know whether this is a good deal or not. Am I better off going to a studio? Also, she wants DrK and I to be in the photos. We both feel and look like crud these days. Not sure if I should agree to participate. Any thoughts?

that's crazy cheap. I pay $100 fee for my photographers, and then pay for printing of the pictures, and they will not sell the rights or the digital images, and I still consider them very reasonable (their print prices are great -- that's where a lot of people get you big time).

[houseelf]

That is very reasonable for professional photography.

You will look at these photos for the rest of your life. FWIW, Black and White can hide a multitude of sins if you decide to jump in the photo.

Kelly

[SoonerTexan]

That's really the new norm, although that particular price is pretty cheap. Is she relatively new? Look at the beautiful kid and family shots by this photographer--a year ago she was only charging $225.

http://candiphoto.blogspot.com/search/label/kids

Check out her portfolio--if you like it--go for it! You might consider being in a few of them--you may be able to get some great mom/dad/baby shots without showing too much of yourself

Digital photography has changed everything and allowed people who were good amateurs to jump in since so many of the costs are gone

Plus, I kind of like the in-home look. The following shot of my cousin was taken over Christmas while my sister was holding her--surrounded by family in a crowded room.

[moonlight]

that a deal! go for it! i wish i could find someone around here for that price. everyone wanted 300+

[MrsK]

Wow. Thank you. When I mentioned it to my mom, she thought I was crazy. This photographer was recommended to me. She runs the portrait studios in two local department stores but does her own wedding/portrait photography on the side. I stopped by one of the portrait studios today and their least expensive package cost $100.

I've asked to see her portfolio. I figure that in the worst case scenario, I'll be out $100 and a Sunday afternoon. If I get desperate, I can take him to a different photographer a week or two later. In any event, this has got to be better than the half-baked photo session we had at the hospital for his newborn portraits.

$100 is really cheap for custom photography. When you figure how much time will be spent on traveling to your home, taking photos, editing them, preparing the CD plus the business taxes and other expenses she has to pay....it probably works out to about $10/hr for her, if that much.

Most photographers I know charge between $100-$250 just for the session fee and anywhere from $600-$3000 for the digital files.

ETA: Jenn, your photographers are awesome!

[Vishenka69]

I wish I could find someone here for $100. Right now I'm looking at shelling out $1500-2000 if I want to buy out the images and order prints.

That is really low. If you like her work I'd go for it. *Usually* (there are exceptions) you pay for what you get. My photo friends orders from clients are usually $300-1000. But one of them started out building her portfolio for $25 for 20 edited images on a CD. So you may be lucky and hitting someone who is on the newer side before they really can command the big bucks.

ETA: Jenn, your photographers are awesome!

Yes, yes they are. I consider them money well spent. I've got to give Davita credit - she found them via the wife of one of E's co-residents. They've since shot the baby pics for about 1/2 of the ortho program!!

[SuzySunshine]

Its worth a shot, I agree that is a great price. I know of a girl here in town who does the same because she's just starting out for herself. I think that is normal that early in their career.

Its worth a shot, I agree that is a great price. I know of a girl here in town who does the same because she's just starting out for herself. I think that is normal that early in their career.

I had a friend in Cleveland who just did it for fun, and would charge $100 for the session and disc. Of course, I couldn't afford it back then ....

She was actually very talented, and her customers just benefited from the fact that photography was her passion and her husband made lots of $$. (Angie - she lived in your neck of the woods if you're interested).