3 Innovative Ways to Afford Your Dream Maternity Photographer
Like a lot of photography, maternity photography is an investment. And just like many boutique, labor intensive services, maternity photography’s price tag may be out of your budget. But that doesn’t have to mean doing away with maternity photography completely. And it also doesn’t have to mean getting maternity photography done by a college student taking a photo class. You can get quality maternity photography by your dream photographer just by thinking a little creatively. Read below for three innovative ways to afford your dream maternity photographer.
Innovative Way #1: Utilize Your Baby Shower Registry
Here’s a tip from one mom to another, most of what you put on your registry doesn’t need to be bought new. Clothes at best will fit your child for 3-4 months in the first year. And accessories that are needed, and quite vital for a period of time, will only be used for a little longer. You definitely need these things, but they don’t need to be new things on your registry. Instead put the big ticket items on your registry. The items that will be an investment. Many photographers will offer photography registries where friends and family will be able to purchase parts of a service. You could also add gift certificates to your already created registry. Or you can decide that the money you get from your baby shower be put towards photography.
How do you then get the other needed items that got booted off for the photography? Get them the same way veteran moms do. Here are five ways I get items on the cheap or even free:
Facebook Mom Groups - if you’re expecting, you can usually already join your local Facebook mom group. In these groups, we will often give away things for free to each other or sell things cheaply. There are many moms out there that are just 6 months to a year ahead of you and want to get rid of all that stuff that they used for a short time.
Facebook Marketplace - typically this will be to get things cheap, not free. But you can sometimes get things really, really cheap. For example, I got a bouncy seat for my daughter on the marketplace for $5. Retail price was over $75.
Garage Sales - this is an especially good one if you are expecting in the late summer.
Just Between Friends and other consignment shops/sales - In Colorado we have JBF or Just Between Friends sales. These are pop-up sales that happen about every six months where local moms can sell things on consignment. There is usually special early access for expecting parents.
Friends and Family - hand me downs are the best things ever!
Innovative Way #2: Partner with a Pregnant Friend
This option may not be available for all photographers. It depends on their process. But it doesn’t hurt to ask if you can do a combined session with another pregnant woman. This can be a friend or family member. It could also be a “new friend.” Remember the mom group suggestion above? A mom group could be a great place to find a new pregnant friend.
Now this will only work if you are within a month of each other’s due date, because that is the only way that you’ll both be in your prime maternity photography window at the same time. It will also only work if you were both planning to work with the same photographer. It is worth a try though, isn’t it?
If you go this route, here are a few suggestions:
Make sure you’re clear before partnering that you both want the same type of shoot. Make sure that you are both looking for the same type of location, look, and want a similar experience.
Review the photographer’s price list and iron out how you’ll divide up the costs and the products. It would be good to bring the photographer in on this discussion. They can give you an idea of how many images to expect. They also know their collections the best and how to divide them up.
Absolutely make sure that you are transparent with the photographer from the beginning that this will be a combined shoot. First, you want to make sure that it is in compliance with the photographer’s policies. Second, the photographer needs to know what to expect at your shoot and be planning with all parties involved. Third, if you fail to tell a photographer that this is a combined shoot and they show up and find out at the shoot, you may be in breach of contract and they will have every right to walk away and not do the shoot at all. At the least, they will not have prepared for both of you and your shoot will not be nearly as top of quality. So it is vital that you keep the photographer in the loop the entire time.
Bonus and most important tip. Don’t ask your photographer to find another pregnant lady for you to partner with. You do need to be the one that finds this person. Let the photographer focus on the photography. Putting the photographer in the middle of a partnership like that can spell disaster.
Innovative Way #3: Combine with a family portrait
This tactic can be implemented in a few different ways depending upon your needs or options. You could have this be your family portrait for the year and combine the budgets of the two together. This is a great plan if the baby is due during the holidays and you need holiday card photos anyway.
It could also mean doing an extended family portrait, if other members of your extended family were going to get portraits done this year already. You could get a portrait done with your parents and your siblings and their families and split the cost. You could invite just your or your partner’s parents and it could be an opportunity to get them involved in the pregnancy as well.
I have a lot of families that come together as an extended family for family portraits to reduce the cost. Even if your photographer does add to the fee, due to there being more people, it still usually comes out cheaper than doing separate family sessions.
#1 Thing to Keep in Mind
When you’re working with a small business, photography or not, the #1 thing to avoid is bartering with them. It’s the #1 sure fire way to have a photographer say “no” to your business. Yes, small business owners do turn away clientele. And bartering with a small business owner, even if you’re well meaning, is a clear sign that you do not respect their business. So, if this is your dream maternity photographer, avoid at all costs sounding like you’re bartering. And respect them when they say “no.” The above innovative ways are suggestions to try out. Depending on your photographer’s business policies, all of which are there for good reasons, they may not be able to accommodate one or all of the ways above.
As with any business relationship, be respectful, be transparent, and be communicative with your photographer about your needs and wishes. And always feel free to ask them if they have other innovative ways in mind to afford their services.
Sara Herkes is a maternity, newborn, family, and senior photographer based in Longmont, CO. She serves the the Denver Metro Area, the Colorado Rockies, and the Northern Front Range and captures your pregnancy amidst the Colorado wilderness. Learn more about her services here.
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