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Convincing your husband to have professional newborn photos done

Hey mom, are you in charge of your families’ memories? Are you always behind the camera capturing those special moments between dad and your babies? When your husband takes a photo of you with the kids (after you’ve asked him 5 million times) does he take the most unflattering photo of you that you’ve ever seen in your life? Do you have 10 chins? You’re not alone mama. If any of these sound like you, read on for my tips to convincing your husband to have professional newborn photos done!

Now I don’t want this post to come off as dad bash city, because truly 95% of the dad’s who come into my studio are SO SWEET and happy to be there and are excited for the results! And we LOVE dads! I’ve seen a huge shift in the last few years of very hands on dad’s and it’s honestly so encouraging to see! My hubby is a very hands on dad and it’s amazing! My daughter actually prefers him…which is a beautiful thing but also sad for me. That’s another story though. 

Often, as mom’s we have to think about all the things for the future, right? We’re the schedule keeper, the memory keepers, the planners and oftentimes the Default Parent. So what happens when we know something is important (Like having professional newborn photos done!) and dad comes in and throws a big wet blanket on the whole idea? If you have the type of relationship I have with my husband, the answer would be TOUGH COOKIES, SIR! And we’d do it anyway. But not every lady has that type of relationship with their spouse, or maybe you don’t want to be an asshole like me. SO, I’ve got some good ideas for convincing your husband to have professional newborn photos done that don’t require my response above.

1. Talk to him

Tell your husband why it is so essential and meaningful for you to have beautiful photographs of yourself – that you will love – with your children while they are still young. Remind him how quickly time goes by and how “baby brain” means you frequently forget vital things that you wish you could remember and keep forever. You devote so much time to your family and their care and you deserve to have the things that are important to you.

You have a right to exist in people’s memories, mama. Don’t let anyone persuade you otherwise! 

Most of us would do ANYTHING for our children, right? Sometimes this angle is all it takes for dad to jump on board. As much as you’ll treasure these images for the rest of your life, they are also for your children. Did you know there have been studies done showing that “displaying your portraits creates self-esteem in your children”? It matters! We have multiple areas in our home where we display photos of our family from my daughter’s newborn photoshoot to her 1 year session, and then her 2 year session. We look at those images daily and she sees herself planted firmly in the center of our world, between two parents who adore her. Our family is rooted in love and she has physical proof of that and is reminded of it every single day.

2. It’ll be fun, I promise

I think one of the biggest complaints I hear from dad’s is “I hate having my photo taken, it’s awkward, stressful, I don’t know what to do with my hands, the kids act up, it takes too long…” and this list goes on on. I get it. I hate having my photo taken too. I’m usually super stressed out and just HOPING my daughter will behave and we’ll get beautiful memories together. I find most of my clients feel like things are chaotic during the shoot and then they see the images and are so surprised how much good stuff we actually got!

My approach to newborn photography is definitely chill. It’s much more about interacting with your baby; cuddling, loving on your newborn, sniffing their sweet little heads and touching noses. If you have little kids, it will be all about playing with them, flipping them in the air, tickling them, and having fun together!

There’s no “everyone smile and say cheese” around here.

I’ve been doing professional newborn photography for over 12 years. And the benefit of that to you (and by extension your husband) is I get the job done in less time with the same beautiful results. I have so many tricks up my sleeve for wrangling your toddlers and soothing your newborn. I do most of the work and you get to just enjoy your family.

 

But don’t take our word for it! Below are a few reviews from dad’s:

“Amanda & staff are amazing at what they do. We all want an amazing end product, but I feel like a lot of people forget the process is equally as important. From the second we walked into the studio they took control and had a very tight system of getting great shots and keeping everything moving at a comfortable pace. I can’t say enough amazing things about the work Amanda does and equally about how great her way of doing it is. She is also just a great person to talk to and is wildly knowledgeable and happily gives her thoughts on parenting advice (super appreciated by first time parents like us)
I am very much looking forward to working with her again and would urge anyone looking for great photos and a great process to reach out as well.” – Sam Comandatore

“Wonderful experience! Great attention to detail that shows how truly invested Amanda is in her work and in providing an incredible product and service. Amanda is a true professional that I’d recommend to anyone…thanks again for capturing these priceless memories for our family!” Steve Pittman

3. Money isn’t everything

“It’s too expensive” – this may even be the very first objection to having professional newborn photos done. And I’m not going to pretend that this isn’t a major consideration for many families. (Please know that I offer very flexible payment plans for any family that needs a little bit of extra time to save for their session.)

However, if the debate is more about whether or not the expense is worth it at all, shifting it this way:

What would be the first thing you would take if your house was on fire?

Be prepared for a snarky remark here like “my golf clubs” just to irritate you. But the fact is that most of what we spend money on is insured, back-upable and replaceable. But memories of your children’s first few weeks on earth? You can’t get that back. Babies don’t keep!

 

“Mother, oh mother, come shake out your cloth!
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking!
Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat- a- cake, darling and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard and there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look!  Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Oh, cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs.  Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby.  Babies don’t keep.”


– “Song for a fifth child” by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

While it may appear to be “too pricey,” I can assure you that these family photographs will be your most valued possessions – even the most hesitant of husbands will be grateful for them. Portraits are the one thing that will become more valuable over time.

If you don’t think photos are important now, wait until they are all you have left.

And from a practical standpoint, you can always make more money. You can’t conjure up a perfect image of your sleeping baby when she was 10 days old blowing the sweetest little raspberries in her sleep as she dreams.

But seriously, think back this past month, how much money have you spent on stupid crap? It’s more than you think! We all do it. So maybe cut back in other areas if things are tight, save up for the wonderful gift that keeps giving to yourself and your children and their children. It’s important.

I hope you found this helpful in convincing your husband to have professional newborn photos done! And once he’s on board, don’t hesitate to reach out and schedule your discovery call with me or use the form below to get in touch! Let’s chat about details and what images would mean the most to you of your new baby and your growing family. I’m here to help!

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