Choosing the Best Photographer for Your Toronto Baby Photography Experience

If you’re like many parents who choose to hire a professional for baby photography in Toronto, you’re likely feeling a little overwhelmed by your options. After all, when it comes to baby photography, Toronto has no shortage of photographers. Every day, it seems like another photographer is advertising child and baby photography services, a trend which has flooded the market and made it just that much more difficult for parents to choose the photographer that will best capture their little ones’ images.

Despite the abundance of choice in the Toronto baby photography market, there are some things parents can and should consider when making their decision. Doing so will only ensure that the money they invest in their children’s portraits is well-spent, and that the end result is a collection of photographs they can’t wait to share with their friends and family.

Finding the Right Person for Baby Photography in Toronto

Reserve Your List of Candidates for Qualified Professionals:

Just when you start to think your list of options is enormous, choose to only consider those whose photography credentials can vouch for the quality of the portraits they take and their experience–the list of potentials will shrink by half, if not more. When it comes to baby photography, Toronto isn’t the only city where a plethora of portrait studios aren’t, in fact, owned or operated by true professional photographers. Even still, without licensing requirements, anyone with an expensive camera can set-up shop and start taking clients.

It’s when photographers have certification from governing bodies like the Professional Photographers  of Canada (PPOC) that you can feel confident not only about the quality of the prints you will receive from your Toronto baby photography session, but more importantly, that your children will be posed by people who have proper training and experience. Especially with newborn baby photography, Toronto parents should make sure that the photographers posing their babies with props and other accessories have been trained and know how to do so safely.

Awards are another indication that the photographer you’re considering is serious about what they do. Those who invest a great deal of time and money back into their businesses are often those who have also been noted for the quality of their work.

Look to Portfolios to Find a Photographer With a Style You Love:

There will be few if any people advertising their services for baby photography in Toronto who won’t also display their portfolio online. Hiring a photographer without first seeing some samples of their work is like buying a new car without the test drive.

When you look at a photographer’s work, listen to your gut. Chances are you will know right away whether or not their style appeals to you. Be sure, however, to also consider the variety and number of poses they use. When looking at samples of baby photography, Toronto parents can sometimes focus too much on the adorable outfits, accessories and props, and forget that the focus of the photo should still be on the baby. Years from now, when headbands with big floppy flowers and newsboy caps are out of style (I know, it’s hard to imagine that day will come!), photos where the focus is on your sweet baby will be timeless mementos that you’re still proud to display in your home.

Are they Willing or Able to Meet With You Before the Session?

When you’re about to invest in Toronto baby photography, one of the best things you can do to ensure your complete satisfaction is to meet with the photographer beforehand. Visiting the studio where the photos will be taken, getting an idea of your product options, viewing a larger selection of samples and getting to know your photographer (if you decide to use them) a little before the day of your session will make you feel more confident about whatever it is that you choose.

Consider Whether or Not They Offer Other Types of Photography, in Addition to Baby Photography:

When you find a photographer you love, it can be disappointing to learn that you can’t return to their studio for child portraits when your baby is older, or that you won’t be able to have maternity photos taken by the same person in future pregnancies. In some cases, photographers who strictly take photos of newborns aren’t even willing to include older siblings in the portraits, because of the added challenge multiple and older children can pose. Often, when people are looking for a studio that offers baby photography in Toronto, they forget about keeping their options open as far as future portrait sessions go.

Another thing to take into account is that many families like to display groupings of photos that depict the different stages of their children’s lives; from maternity shots of mom to newly born baby, happy infants and inquisitive toddlers to school age and even beyond. A timeline of images that are of the same level of quality and even style is something parents are proud to display and share with their friends and family, and so choosing a photographer whose specialization extends beyond newborn portraiture can be a smart move.

Additional Considerations

In your search for the photographer who’s going to offer you a totally rewarding Toronto baby photography experience, you may also want to consider the following:

Whether or not they offer image retouching

Are you able to buy high-resolution digital files?

Will they accommodate you in the likely event that your baby is early or overdue?

Remember these suggestions as you browse the websites and portfolios of your baby photographer candidates. Limiting your options to whomever is the cheapest or who has the flashiest website could lead to a pretty disappointing experience, over all. Years from now, when your baby is no longer that pudgy little darling who used to coo at the sound of your voice, your beautiful collection of baby portraits will ensure you never forget all of the little details that made them unique and your own.