My beautiful Little Bird recently had her first birthday. In preparation for her big day, I decided to plan a decent sized party at a restaurant. As a photographer, I also decided to have a friend take some photos to commemorate the day.
Ok, so you are probably thinking, “Why the hell would you want to spend money on a photographer for a first birthday?” Or for that matter, why pay for a photographer to document other important events in your little one’s new life, besides the obvious newborn shoot and maybe 1-year photo shoot. But I can tell you, I have shot my fair share of
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, baby namings, baby showers, and first birthdays and it is nice to be able to look back and remember those moments. Not having to be the one behind the camera or relying on a friend or family member for the photos makes it even better.
You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on a photographer for a smaller sized event, as many photographers are reasonably priced for 2-3 hour gigs. To tell you the truth, I welcome these kind of gigs with open arms… since I get to go home and see my sweet little one and her adorable face well before her bedtime.
When you hire a photographer for these special events it might be good to give him or her a timeline of events, especially if you have a ceremony taking place or any kind of entertainment arriving. You should also let the photographer know if you want any specific photos taken, such as a photo of your baby with all the grandparents, or a few photos of him or her alone in the party outfit. Lastly, make sure that if you have any special details you want captured that they are aware… yes, a talented, seasoned, photographer generally does photograph all these things. However, it is better to be safe than sorry!
In the event that you decide you just want to wing it, or did not find a pro-photographer within your budget or time frame, here are few quick options:
1. You can go “old school” and put some cameras on the tables and see what happens.
2. Bring your own camera and ask a friend to take a few key shots
3. Check Craigslist and see if there are any up-and-coming folks who want portfolio building experiences.. some will do it for free!
4. Ask ALL your friends to take tons of photos and then create a group uploading account on a site like Snapfish so that you can see them all and have them in one spot.
All photographs courtesy of Stacey Ilyse. For more of her photography tips, click here!
