I Regret Doing Professional Newborn Photos for My Firstborn. This is Why I Used AI for My Second Baby
This blog post was authored by Alaina S., mom to Olivia and Ophelia
When I had my first baby, of course we wanted professional newborn photos. After researching local newborn photographers, I went with the cheapest I could find. She charged $600 for the most basic package of 8 photos — just the digital files. After spending thousands of dollars on the smart bassinet, breathable crib mattresses, a top-of-the-line stroller, the car seat with the highest safety rating, the organic cotton baby clothes, etc, I couldn’t bring myself to spend over $1,000 on the more extensive newborn photoshoot packages, so I thought $600 was a decent compromise.
Little did I know, cost of baby’s newborn photos would be the least of my worries. Here are the 5 reasons I regretted my professional newborn photos:
1. Scheduling Hassles
Baby came early, so while being sleep-deprived I also had to message back and forth with our newborn photographer to move our appointment forward, which was only possible because another client canceled last minute. My baby also lost too much of her birth weight, so we were going to the pediatrician and lactation consultant every day for weigh-ins. The postpartum bonding with my newborn in the comfy cocoon of home that I was hoping for was completely fragmented by our busy schedule, so fitting in a several-hour newborn photography appointment amidst all of the medical appointments added a stressor on top of it all.
2. Sleep Deprivation
After two all-nighters in the hospital and after the adrenaline of giving birth wore out, the sleep deprivation hit hard. As new first-time parents, we entered survival mode. We were learning baby care on the fly, fielding tons of messages from family and friends demanding baby updates, barely sleeping or eating ourselves, while becoming neurotic about the newborn’s feeds, diapering, and sleeping. When all I wanted to do was sleep, the last thing I wanted to do was schlep a fussy newborn and all of the baby gear out of the house for multiple hours for our newborn photos.
3. Postpartum Recovery
All while I was learning how to take care of my newborn, I was dealing with the undignified realities of postpartum recovery. You’re still bleeding afterbirth into your ginormous maxi pad and disposable gauze underwear. It hurts to sit, but it also hurts to get up. You’re engorged as your milk starts coming in. Once your milk comes in, you spontaneously leak. You stink because you don’t have the energy or time to shower every day. Getting dressed to look civil and bring my newborn to her photoshoot was so not fun amidst all this discomfort.
4. Fussy Newborn
Some newborns are super sleepy and will sleep throughout their newborn photos. Your photographer will be able to swaddle them in many different ways, manipulate their limbs into those adorable newborn poses, and take the hundreds of photos needed to get the 8 best shots. If your newborn is anything like mine, they’ll fuss and cry whenever they’re undressed. They’ll randomly pee and poo on the photographer’s props – because baby is not wearing a diaper for these cute newborn shoots – so your photographer has to waste time changing out photosets while you clean up the baby. You’ll need to feed them several times during the shoot because your appointment is during the witching hour when your baby cluster feeds as if you’re starving them, so you don’t have as much time to get good photos. Babies are completely unpredictable, and of course, my sleepy newborn chose to activate her assertiveness during her photoshoot. She also made me feel guilty for putting her through the photoshoot experience for my own benefit.
5. Heavily Edited
You think you’re capturing authentic memories but your photographer is going to heavily use Photoshop to edit your newborn’s photos. Those cute baby froggy poses? Photoshopped – it’s a composite image created from several different photos of your baby. Your baby’s flawless newborn skin even though they have baby acne, milia, cradle cap, and a stork bite that hasn’t yet faded? Airbrushed out. Yes, the outcomes were beautiful, but they definitely weren’t authentic or natural as they were so heavily edited.
Using AI for my Newborn Photos Instead
When my second baby came along, I decided to try AI newborn photos. As a busy mom who now knew the realities of newborn life and had a toddler to manage at the same time, I was honest with myself about not having the capacity to handle the hassle and expense of another newborn photoshoot. Here’s how it transformed my second newborn experience:
My favorite of the newborn photos we took of my second
1. Convenience
I didn’t have to schedule anything or leave the house. I simply uploaded photos of my baby at my convenience, during a middle-of-the-night feeding. I was already taking photos of my newborn on my phone, so it was easy enough to find a few good photos to upload for the AI to work its magic.
2. Instant Results
The AI produced high-quality photos within minutes. There was no waiting for weeks for edits and final proofs. With my first baby, by the time I got the finished newborn photos with all of the editing and post-processing, my newborn was no longer a newborn! With my second baby, I got the AI photos within an hour and could request even more instantly.
3. Cost-Effective
The AI-generated photos were significantly cheaper. An entire order of magnitude cheaper than professional newborn photos. For a fraction of the cost of a traditional photoshoot, I could create as many photos as I wanted, from the comfort of my home.
4. No Fuss
My newborn’s mood or cooperation didn’t matter. The AI created amazing photos regardless, eliminating the stress of trying to get the baby to pose, to wake up for the photos, to not pee on the photoset, etc.
5. Variety
I could easily try different themes and styles without additional costs. From seasonal themes to whimsical backgrounds, the options were limitless. And being indecisive, I could try photoshoots in all of the different styles without breaking the bank. I got newborn photos in styles I never would have come up with myself, but am totally obsessed with.
In sum, the AI newborn photos came out beautifully. I could create infinite styles, all from the convenience of home and for a very low cost. The ease and flexibility allowed me to capture my newborn’s adorable little face in professional-grade photos without the stress and hassle of a traditional photoshoot.
Honeycomb was built by moms to help busy parents get professional baby photos on a budget. Using AI, we transform everyday photos of your kid into stunning photoshoots for every milestone and holiday. Get your baby’s AI photos today!