How to choose a portrait photographer well ?

Being a professional portrait photographe is not something you can improvise : each baby , each pregnant woman , each family wants to be the most beautiful one once the paper prints are delivered. Each details matters to capture true chef d’oeuvre of a person in images : mastering the light , choose the right photo material ( the good lens with the right camera angle to not deform the subject for exemple,the good studio lighting ),adaptation to the photo shoot whether it’s in studio or outside , direction of the model during the photo session… You have to know how to photograph the skin ,light up a face, take care of a newborn , entertain the children during during family photo session,make people stand-out : this is how you recognise a good portraiture. 

A lighting that fits a face , a gesture that is well mastered , a professional post-production work thanks to the retouch done on photoshop and an unfazed relationship with the professional photograper are responsible for a wonderful photoshoot. The job of a portrait photographer is to give you advice and to guide you through the flashlights and accessories of the studio to help you be at ease in a place where , at first , you wouldn’t be . How to make lifefull photographies with incredible shots ? How to create wonderful memories of you and your kids ? Discover the advice of Regard d’auteur photographers.

The portrait photographer before the birth | Pregnancy photo session in a photography studio

Pregnancy photos are often taken in studio : thanks to that , the photographer can control the lighting to shine a light on the tummy of the mother to be , no matter what the season is , you can be sure that the studio will be kept warm and you will be able to take your time to get change without people looking at you . The directed light and the shooting accessories such as paper backgrounds will give a timeless feeling to the photo taken and bring out how beautiful you are. The portrait photographer will know perfectly how to light up the skin to keep natural colours and skin appearance on your portrait photography.

Pregnancy portrait in studio | The model mom

During pregnancy , the belly and the body of the woman evolves : you could choose a serie of evolving photos of your tummy at 3,5,7 months or just before giving birth to realise a photomontage. Ordering a framed magnification photo print will be a wonderful memory to capture this important milestone in life. By modesty, shyness or simply with the negative symptoms that accumulate (fatigue, stress, back pain, etc.) you may hesitate to take pregnancy photos.

Couple pregnancy portrait | Love in photo

Alone or with the father-to-be ,a photo session before the birth of the baby is a unique occasion to create beautiful memories , to show the connection between the baby and the parents-to-be , to witness this beautiful step of your life. Let the photographer put his professionalism at your service to give you advice about your clothes for the photo session, your hair and makeup , the poses that will highlight you … A professional portrait photographer should also listen to you and take care of you to guarantee you a wonderful experience ! Use our searching tool to find the pregnancy photographer that fits the photographic style that you are looking for. You can also order an outside photo shoot during the 9 month of your pregnancy to enjoy a beautiful setting and weather.

The at home our outside photographer | Portrait of pregnant woman

You would like to do a photo session before the birth of your baby and you are looking for more natural , more spontaneous and full of life shots ? Choose the pregnancy photo session outdoor or at home for a touch of originality . If you are stressed by the idea of doing a studio portrait , surrounded by a lot of flash and by all the photo equipement , the at home photo session is what you need to feel at ease and to create a « cocooning » photo session where you can keep your daily points of reference . You will be able to use every room in your house ( the room of the baby , a fire place, a room bathed in light thanks to a bay window,ect) to take unique photos that looks like you .

Pregnancy portrait  in the nature | The outdoor photo

If you choose an outdoor photo shoot, your portrait photographer should offer you to shoot in surprising shooting places (a well of light, a postcard landscape, a play of colors and materials) and advise you on the weather and time of day to get soft lights and beautiful tones on your final images. You could then put on one or more flattering dresses for pregnancy photos and take advantage of the wind that rushes into the fabrics to add movement to your photographs.

Pregnancy portrait at home | The calm and collected couple

In a studio, outdoor or at home, each of the moms-to-be will find their way thanks to our search tool: all you have to do is contact the photographers whose style you like, without forgetting to book a long way in advance so as not to risk missing the photo memories of your pregnancy professionaly taken if the date of the delivery should arrive sooner than expected !

The photographer in the maternity | Photographing the birth differently

The photos taken at the maternity ward do not have a very good reputation: quite often, a photographer from a photo agency comes into your room and photographs the newborn in just a few minutes with few poses and quick manipulations, before taking advantage of your peak of emotions during this wonderful moment of life to carry out an aggressive commercial approach and try to maximize the value of the memory, with pictures of poor quality.

Maternity portrait | Baby's first instants of life 

Our professional photographers, specialized in birth photography and trained in the handling of babies as well as the use of suitable lighting sources (careful to flashes in the eyes of babies), are available on request and can come on the day and at the time of your choice. For example, it can be an opportunity to create a «lifestyle» photo session in the form of a documentary report, composed of authentic images full of life, laughter, genuine smiles, taken on the spot.

Newborn portrait | Photo at the place of maternity 

At D+1, D+2 or D+3, entrust the photos taken just after birth to a professional and experienced maternity photographer. These are beautiful memories in the end so why don’t you ask your photographer to create a photomontage to share it with your family? You will then only have to order the paper prints, it is one less thing to manage once you are back in your cocoon and it represents a beautiful gift to give to your loved ones!

Capture beautiful birth portraits in studio

Once you have return from the maternity, you can take advantage of a professional photo studio to take beautiful «newborn posing» photos. This type of photo session is usually performed between the 8th and 12th day of your baby’s life, so quickly after birth, when your child still sleeps a lot and can be easily manipulated and placed in specific positions: for example the fetal position or the position of the frog.

Birth portrait | The baby at the centre the photo

The studio is the best place for your baby: your specialist photographer will provided the appropriate lighting, but also the photo accessories (birth beanie, small baskets, colorful blankets or birth wraps), not to mention the heating placed near the baby to take the naked pictures without endangering his health.

The baby portrait | The star child

Newborn-posing requires training and experience and we recommend that you book your photo shoot with a professional photographer, who will have the right health reflexes and gestures at all times (including if a pee or other surprise happened during the photo session, which is not uncommon after the feeding). Comfort and security assured, the scenes can be done one after another with natural poses giving way to expressions (smiles, small pouts of the mouth) on the face of your child, or more complex poses depending on the result in images you want.Count 2 to 4 hours for this type of photo session.

The birth portrait | The child at the center of the picture

The parents can also enjoy there baby smiling , every funny faces of there little one by taking a moment to relax and rest, something that will be rare enough to notify it in the first few months after delivery! Birth photo shoots are also available at home with some professional photographers!

Babies photos | A different approach at home

Following the birth of your baby, you can choose a studio session as well as at home, especially if you want to capture more original and personalized images using your cocoon to shoot scene. However, this type of professional portraits requires a specific experience and a know-how of the birth photographer: he will have to take advantage of the natural light (coming from a patio door) or play with the ambient lighting, take the necessary security arrangements (move furniture, keep your hands clean, handle the baby safely) and above all pay attention to every detail of the background so that your decorative objects do not become disruptive elements in the images. 

Home portrait | A different approach 

On your side, you will obviously have to think about tidying up and cleaning your living space, but also preparing yourself as for any photo shoot. Mom and Dad are certainly tired, but don’t forget to take care of your hair/ makeup and your outfit too! Once the at home photo session is over, you may be disappointed with the result and the memory seeing your photos year after year when your baby grows up!

The baby portrait | The family photo

This type of modern photo shooting can be done at any age: you can take pictures during breastfeeding at birth, then more family-oriented photos and child portrait after the first few months. Some photographers offer «big baby» sessions, when the little one is sitting (from 6 months, or more depending on the baby) and then around the first steps of the baby (more or less after the first year). This is the opportunity to capture the first movements and to take a more vivid family portrait, by multiplying plans, poses and attitudes to guarantee a great diversity of images and a great choice of photos to keep! Your home is a common and reassuring place for your child, it is perhaps here that you will get the most portraits on the spot, authenticity and spontaneous emotions!

Children photo session | Unique portraits

Children’s photo sessions can also be taken indoors or outdoors: depending on their age and temperament, your little boy or your little girl will be able to make beautiful portraits in the quiet studio while taking advantage of the toys and photo accessories , enjoy the space and the sun to have fun, jump, run in a field of poppy, on the beach or in another natural setting, or choose your home for a «cocooning» family moment ,nestled on your sofa or on the parents' bed .

Children portrait | At home photo

Children, young or older, will allow you to capture images full of life with spontaneous smiles, funny expressions and an overflowing energy. For original high-definition professional photos with your children, you can also ask your portrait photographer to organise a fun workshop, for example: Culinary by making a cooking recipe (your child will love the experience, you will laugh a lot and the photographer will be able to capture strong emotional moments)Make a building game or a puzzle to be more calm with your child, follow him on his favorite activity (sport, coloring, outdoor activity...) to give him a memory that he will love over the years.

Children portrait in the nature

No matter what your preference is, choose a professional photographer if you want to avoid disappointments when you will receive the photos following the session (closed eyes, grimaces, fuzzy photos, etc). You will receive all the advice and tricks necessary to succeed in your children portraits, in black and white or in colours and keep beautiful images printed at home!

Families photographer | studio, at home or outdoor 

Capturing family portraits is never easy: dad receives calls and has to leave the shooting space, mom takes care of the baby, the children are difficult to control and don’t want to stay still… In short, to create a memory in images that will give you a smile every morning, it is better to order a professional photoshoot with an experienced portrait photographer to enhance your family session. To start, he will give you all the tips to prepare your photo session: how to dress to highlight your faces and be in harmony between parents and children, how to make up or style yourself and even more how to relax before taking pictures to make the most of this precious moment with youngest and oldest.  

Family portrait | At home photo

On the children’s side, there must be enough space, at home or outside, for them to run around without hurting themselves. The brothers and sisters will be able to make portraits alone or with all the siblings, and why not make some original portraits in duo/ trio? If you have a blended family, don’t panic: you can tell the photographer so that he can take into account in his images the relationship with each child. By working on the gestures and the connection between you, he will be able to create portraits photographs that reveal the family harmony and complicity with each other, while respecting each person’s personal space.

Family portrait | The natural light 

Your family photos, once made, will become a true symbol for your children, who see in them the love of their parents, the fraternal bond with other children and more generally the happiness of being in family. It can never be said enough: a picture is worth a thousand words and each photograph will highlight messages that you will not necessarily be able to convey by other means than by using images. 

We thank Stéphanie Toselli for the cover photo.