Are professional family photoshoots really worth the price tag?

Yes!

The end.

I would say ‘only joking’ but I’m not. Of course it’s an easy one for me to answer because I’m a family photographer, but I’m here to share WHY I think that professional family photoshoots are 100% worth investing in.

It’s not all about you

Harsh but true. You can’t think that professional family photos are just for you, your partner, your parents or any other relative for that matter. They are for your Children to look back on as they grow up and go on to become parents themselves. They are for your future Grand-babies!

Children’s self-esteem

It’s been proven that growing up seeing images of themselves helps to improve your child’s self-esteem and sense of worth. It makes sense does’t it? By proudly displaying photos of your baby as they grow up it will help feel important and valued, isn’t that what we all want for our children? (well, that and for them to be able to bring you a cup of tea in bed on a Sunday morning.)

Quality over quantity

Hands up if you have a camera roll of thousands of photos on your phone? If you’re anything like me you’ll have 3 phones’ worth of snaps captured on the go of your little one. We’re the first generation to have smartphones at our disposal which is awesome for photographing every little moment of your baby’s first years. But have you tried to print them? You’ll struggle to print anything bigger than 6x4” without losing picture quality.

Spending priorities

How much are you planning on spending on a new travel system? Or on decorating the nursery? These are important things to consider and spend money on. A great buggy can make all the difference to getting out and about with your new baby, it’s an important item to invest in. How about spending hundreds of pounds creating a beautiful Pinterest-inspired nursery? That no one will see but you and your baby? I’m not saying that you shouldn’t spend money on these things, just think about what your priorities are. What’s important to you? Spend your money on that.

Value for money

Designer prams and a ‘gram worthy nursery are awesome, but how long will they last? A professional photoshoot lasts for a couple of hours, the resulting images last a lifetime. Lets work out the value for money:

A professional newborn or baby photoshoot: £500
How long does it last? A lifetime (using 80 years as an example)
Cost per month: 52p

Decorating & furnishing a nursery: £1000
How long does it last? 2 years before you’ll want to update it to something more suitable for a toddler.
Cost per month: £41.66

The experience

It’s not just about the photos themselves, it’s also about enjoying the experience. Time for you to come and show off your new baby, and relax knowing that you’re in good hands. I always go the extra mile to make sure that my clients have a wonderful experience with me. I’ve created a fun, relaxing workflow for you to enjoy with your family, along with picking the very best spots in the New Forest for your family photoshoot.

No regrets

We didn’t have any professional photoshoots when my babies were born and it’s one of my BIGGEST regrets as a Mum. We didn’t have much disposable income when my children were born, having two within 13 months meant that I was off work for over 3 years. Looking back now, there were things that we spent money on that weren't really a necessity and I wish I had prioritised having photos with my beautiful babies when they were little. Moments and memories that cannot be replicated or replaced, and unfortunately have been missed forever. Please learn from my mistake!

Get in the photo Mama!

This is a biggie - who usually takes the photos in your family? I’m going to guess that it’s you? Safely hiding behind the camera while you snap away? It’s great that you’re capturing your kids as they grow up but when do you ever show up in photos? And how many of them do you like, let alone love? A professional photographer will be able to capture you with your Children in a way that you will fall head over heels in love with - that alone would be worth it, right?!

The verdict?

Do it! I’m a big fan of professional baby photoshoots and I hope that I’ve managed to convince you of the same. Book a professional, print those beauties and display them proudly around your home.