We've published a post on how to select a newborn photographer for you - which can be found on our blog page. So, if you're looking for some general advice on what to look for in a newborn photographer, feel free to give that post a read first.
In this post we are going to cover how we operate at our studio in more detail, so that you can decide whether or not we're the right fit for you. Booking someone to photograph your newborn is quite a personal choice, and there are many factors to consider.
We're not going to be the right studio for everyone, and that's absolutely fine. If we were, we'd be busy fools and wouldn't have the time to dedicate fully to each client.
Our aim in this blog post is to explain a little about us, who we are, and our ethos. Hopefully we will be able to answer some important questions too. But, as always - if there's something we've missed and you still have questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
So, firstly who are we?
We're an independent family run professional photography studio in the heart of Pontypridd town centre. The studio is owned by myself (Sally), and my husband (Jordan - the photographer), and working alongside us as our studio manager is Sophie (Jordan's sister/my sister-in-law). We established the studio back in 2013, and have been specialising in maternity, newborn, baby, child and family portraits since. We're all parents ourselves, myself and Jordan have two boys and Sophie has a little girl - so we've been through the throws of early parenthood ourselves and appreciate how important it is to not miss a moment. We're incredibly passionate about what we do, and absolutely adore getting to know all of our clients. Almost 10 years on, we often bump in to clients from over the years and end up stopping for a catch up. We're so privileged to have become the 'official' family photographer for so many of our clients, and being able to watch their families grow is incredible.
We wont go in to too much detail about us here, or we'll end up with a ridiculously long blog post. Maybe we'll do another post in the future with a bit more about us as the people behind the studio.
So, how do we run things at our studio? I think maybe the best way to tackle this is to list our most frequently asked questions and give the answers there - that way it will be easier to read and you can skip through to what you find most interesting.
How do we ensure that your baby is in the safest hands?
Newborn safety is the most important priority to us at our studio, hence it being the first question we get into after our introduction. Unfortunately, newborn photography remains completely unregulated, meaning that anyone can legally pick up any old camera and decide to call themselves a newborn photographer with absolutely no experience or training. For us, when we decided to take the leap into newborn photography we wanted to ensure that we were not only going to create quality portraits, but we wanted to make sure that when handling someone else's baby, that we would be doing so properly and safely. So we dedicated our time, resources and money to invest in ourselves and learn and train from some of the best photographers around the world.
Jordan went on to become the first photographer in Wales and 4th in the UK, to achieve an Associateship in newborn photography with the Master Photographers Association, and the newborn safety certification.
Additionally, we are one of very few studio's where we do not allow a newborn session to be run without two staff members present. We believe that in order for a newborn session to be run safely, someone's sole focus should be on the safety of the baby without the distraction of focusing on the camera/settings/lighting etc... Once baby is posed, Jordan can relax and fully focus on creating the best portraits, while myself or Sophie is able to concentrate on making sure that your baby is safe and comfortable at all times. Babies have a stark morro reflex which means that in a split second, the slightest thing can cause them to jump. Having someone who's there just to spot baby means that we are avoiding possible risks. Now, this isn't a requirement by any means, but it's our own personal view. Many photographers will ask a parent to step in as a spotter, which is perfectly fine if you're comfortable with that. But for us, we prefer to allow parents to sit back and relax. We are trained and experienced in posing and working with newborns, so we know exactly what we're looking for. As new parents, you will also be sleep deprived, which means that your concentration levels wont be 100% either. Newborns are so delicate, and we choose to work this way because we feel that it's the safest option.
Another thing that's extremely important when working with newborns is hygiene. We ensure that every fabric that's used is freshly laundered, and all props are sterilised between use to reduce any risk of passing germs along. Even our contact areas are saniised between clients.
What qualifications do you have?
Jordan holds a range of qualifications - Jordan completed his degree in photography while we were in the process of opening our first studio.
He also holds an Associateship with the Master Photographers Association in newborn portraiture, and the Newborn Safety Certification, an Associateship with the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers in Portraiture for a newborn panel and qualified status with the Guild of Photographers.
Jordan has also won numerous awards, regionally, nationally and internationally.
You can find all the information on our website;
Where do you work from?
Our studio is based in the heart of Pontypridd town centre. Aside from the professional aspect of having a shop fronted commercial space, it allows us to create a controlled environment for our newborn sessions. Our studio is set up specifically for newborn and baby portraits, with everything we need on hand. We also have a dedicated room full of props. fabrics and accessories that can be used for our sessions which wouldn't be transportable. Being based from our studio also means that we control the heat of the room (28 celcius), and make sure that our environment is perfect for newborns and new babies.
How many sessions do you do per day?
One. We will only ever photograph one newborn session per day. Newborn sessions are extremely time consuming - taking anything up to 4 hours. Our newborn sessions are completely baby led, and we don't want to have to rush our clients, as we simply wont get the best images by doing that. We take the time to work with your baby, settle them to sleep, see what poses they're comfortable with. We understand that not every baby is comfortable in every pose, and from our years and wealth of experience we can read baby's cues and can instinctively tell how to move them into the most comfortable position for them.
The whole experience of working with us is designed to be relaxing for both baby and you, as new parents. We want you to be able to sit back, and watch as we carefully position your baby in a way that is comfortable for them at all times.
What happens if my baby is early or late?
We only book 10 newborn sessions in our diary per due month. Because of this we can maintain a level of flexibility in our diary, meaning that it doesn't matter when your baby arrives. We will have space in our diary for you. We simply ask you to let us know as soon as possible after the birth, and we'll get you booked in.
What is the 'vibe' at your studio?
Relaxed. Comfortable. Judgement free. Our studio space is created in a way that is intended to feel like a home from home. We don't expect you to arrive dressed pristinely, with immaculate hair and makeup, looking like you've just gotten off a catwalk. However, if that's your look, then that's amazing - but for most new parents, you'll be far too exhausted to put that level of effort into your appearance before leaving your house in the morning. Arrive however you like. PJ's and slippers are welcome here. Messy hair is welcome here. If you're covered in baby sick, that's fine too. We pass no judgement at all. At a time where you're post-partum, you need support, to feel welcome and to be able to relax. We'll help wipe the poop off your clothes and the sick out of your hair. We'll hold your baby while you drink a warm cup of tea. We'll bring you the tea too. Our vibe is post partum friendly. Hell, we even keep maternity pads, spritz for bits and a hair brush in our loo. We also keep a fully stocked snack station, because we know that you would have left home without eating breakfast too. We see our clients at a time where you're most vulnerable. We appreciate that, and so we want to make the experience of working with us an enjoyable one. Where you can relax, not worry and be yourself. There's a reason we have such good relationships with our past clients - it's because we understand how you're feeling when you come in to us, and we know how to take care of you too. A newborn session is not just about your baby. It's about you too.
Can we be photographed with baby too?
YES. YES. YES. Parents, siblings, even grandparents. We fully encourage getting in front of the camera, and we promise that we'll make you feel relaxed.
What about pets?
Unfortunately, we don't allow pets in our studio. This is for a couple of reasons. While we love all animals ourselves, there are risks involved when working with newborns and pets. Regardless of how timid your dog may be, when in a strange environment, with new people and a new baby for a prolonged period of time there is a chance that your dogs temperament may change. Safety is our top priority, so even if the risk may seem small it's not one we're willing to take. 2-4 hours is a long time to spend in a studio, which is no fun for your pet either. Secondly, there's allergies to consider. While we clean our studio thoroughly between sessions, we can never guarantee that we would remove 100% of pet hair. We wouldn't ever want a tiny client, or any other client to have an allergic reaction at our studio - so again, it's about reducing any risks of compromising health and safety.
I have some sentimental/personal items, can these be incorporated into the session?
Of course. We are more than happy to include items that hold a huge sentimental value to you in your session. It could be something that reflects your hobby, your career or family heirloom.
Do you offer all images on USB?
This is a question we get asked at least 3 times a week.
The simple answer is no. That's not to say that we don't offer digital images. We do. Alongside our gorgeous printed products. There's a selfish reason, and a selfless reason for this.
The selfish reason is that we invest so much time into creating our portraits, retouching them and making them perfect for print, on top of the fact that we have dedicated years perfecting our craft - we feel that it's a complete waste for those images to be laying on a USB in a drawer, or printed at a supermarket lab.
The selfless reason is that we genuinely want to provide our clients with quality portraits that you will have on display for years/generations.
We see no benefit in investing your money into professional portraits if they are not going to be displayed. So we have sourced the finest print products available to the professional market. Yes, our costs are high but it's because the quality of our products reflect that.
What products do you offer?
We offer a wide range of products to suit everyone. From gorgeous printed products in a folio box and albums to incredible wall art. Everything we offer is of the highest quality, because we work with the finest craftsmen who create artwork for galleries in London and further afield. We are happy to go through all of out products with you in detail at a consultation appointment if you'd like to see them. Our studio has samples of all of our stunning product options.
What are your prices?
Our newborn session fee is £90, and our product pricing begins from £399.
Our pricing is available on our website. On each session page you can see our product pricing. We also have a more detailed printed guide which we are happy to send over on request. We believe in transparency for pricing because we want our clients to know exactly what our products cost before booking with us. We know that we're not in everyones budget, and that's okay - but we'd rather you be aware of that in advance rather than have any nasty surprises.
We also offer 0% finance on all orders through our finance partners Duologi. We also work with ClearPay and PayPal pay in 3.
When should we book?
We accept bookings anytime from your 12 week scan. As we only book 10 newborn sessions per month, we don't often have last minute appointments available so early booking is recommended.
How do we book?
Booking is made via out website;
Once your booking is received, we will get in touch to schedule a consultation appointment at the studio, where you can meet with us, we can give you a tour of the studio and you can ask us any questions you may have.
I hope that this covers most questions, and will help you decide if we are the studio for you. If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to ask.