Choosing a photographer can be a bit of a minefield, especially when it comes to choosing one to photograph your precious newborn baby.

No doubt you'll have seen many beautiful images of sleeping babies curled up in various props and wearing adorable little outfits. It may seem like they've just been plopped into a bucket or a basket but the truth is, there is a huge amount of time and skill that goes into creating these images. So how do you go about finding a photographer to create these images for you?

When you are looking for a baby photographer, there are several things to look out for. 
•Style - Take a look at the photographer's portfolio to see the kind of images they produce. All photographers have a different style so try to pick someone who produces work that you like.
•Quality - Does the photographer produce consistently good images? Are they will lit and in focus?
•Insurance - This is
•Posing - How are the babies posed? Do they look comfortable? If a baby's arms or head are resting on the edge of the prop, there should be plenty of padding, they should never, ever be directly on the edge of a bucket, basket, crate etc. Are their arms and legs inside the prop? Having arms or legs overhanging can be uncomfortable and leave the baby unbalanced and certain positions can affect their circulation. huge point! Please don't ever hand your baby over to a photographer who isn't insured. 
•Professional memberships - Are they a member of a professional body specifically for newborn photographers? Choosing a photographer who is a member ofBANPAS (Baby and Newborn Photographers Association) means you can be certain that the photographer is insured and has also demonstrated the ability to work safely and competently.
•Training - Has the photographer undertaken training in the art of newborn photography? Adequate training is vitally important for all newborn photographers. Don't be afraid to ask the photographer who they have trained with.
•Safety - Does the photographer work safely? There is a saying that the camera never lies but I know that Photoshop is a prolific fibber. Many of the images you see will be composites, ie photos made up from more than one image that are cleverly combined inpost production to make it look like one image. This is typically used for the lovely head in hands shot and babies in hammocks (babies shouldn't ever actually be suspended). If a baby is placed in a prop, such as a bucket or a basket, there should be a spotter next to the baby at all times.
•Qualifications - Does your photographer hold a qualification in newborn photography? A qualification from a professional body demonstrates that the photographer is consistently working at a professional standard.

A final thing to look out for when looking at the work of newborn photographers is the baby's skin. Babies need to be kept very warm during their shoot in order to help them sleep (and let's face it, no one particularly likes to be cold). If a baby has mottled skin it means they are cold so if you see this in a newborn image, it's very possible that the photographer doesn't understand the need for the baby to be warm. 

This great blog post byBANPAS explains a few more things in greater detail http://banpasparents.blogspot.co.uk/p/are-you-working-safely.html

Though it looks like the baby in this photo is being held in the air, she is in fact safely nestled on my beanbag.

Having a spotter next to the baby is very important for their safety.