Baby’s First Photos: DIY or Hire a Professional?

While pregnant, you’re probably trying to plan how to capture your baby’s first photos. And you’ve got options!

You could go the DIY route and rely on your old friend, the camera app on your iPhone, but we all know your baby deserves better than that! You could up your iPhone game by purchasing a DSLR camera. However, this leads you down a rabbit hole of how-to photography videos on Youtube, a thick camera manual to digest, and editing software to learn.

Groan. You don’t have time for this. You are a busy mom!

Or you could hire a professional to have beautiful, done-for-you portraits taken of your baby, downloaded straight to your computer.

When you choose to hire me to take your newborn portraits, you guarantee beautiful and timeless portraits that capture the first chapter of your baby’s story. Take the guesswork out of newborn photography by entrusting your baby’s first photos to me.

Your baby’s first photos are important and shouldn’t be left to be DIY’d.

Plus, it all goes by so fast! You barely have time to shower let along learn how to use that fancy camera your husband gifted to you.

Caffeine shots are no match for the growth of a newborn, who quickly turns into a rolling, crawling, walking toddler before you know it. My goal is to make sure we’ve captured your new baby so beautifully so that you’ll be able to remember it all.

In anticipation of baby’s arrival, parents are often dreaming of what their baby will look like, and they can’t imagine forgetting a single detail once the baby arrives. The truth is that, for most parents, the sleepless nights quickly turn into long days full of hustle and learning curves, and somewhere in there, the details and memories of your newborn get fuzzy.

The last thing you need is to layer in learning a new skill: photography.

The curious gaze of a six-month-old and the grabby hands of a one-year-old will quickly replace your newborn’s fresh, soft pink cheeks, sleepy eyes, and giant baby yawns. All of it is magical. Sadly, each of these stages don’t last very long.

Let me take care of keeping these memories for you. I’ve spent over 10 years now perfecting my craft for newborn photography and it would be my pleasure to take the task of newborn photos off of your to-do list.

I like to say that here in my cozy studio in Salem, your baby is the star of the show. I skip the gimmicks and trendy props. Instead, I put the focus solely on your baby and your connection as a family. I use a lot of white and neutral colors, close crops, and simple baby-led posing to ensure your baby is the main focus. 

As a photographer specializing in newborns, my work is about curating those details so that you have them forever. Photography skills aside, I’m a patient, practiced, and skilled mom of four! I know how to wait out those wiggles to snag that brief smile when it dances across their pouty lips as they sleep. I know how to tuck in those hands and feet right inside yours for the perfect first family portrait.

My studio prides itself on making this experience relaxed and memorable for parents. I’ll have drinks and snacks as well as an area for older siblings. The studio is clean, neat, and bright…and I’ll admit, everything I’d like my home to be all the time! So, leave it all up to me. Arrive, relax, and let’s work some magic together! The studio is located in an adorable and quaint historic Salem building, and if you’ve never made the short trip from Portland, you’ll be glad you did. 

Contact me when you have your due date to reserve a spot on our calendar, ideally, during your second or third trimester. I would love to meet you and help create the first chapter of your life as a new family!