Why Hiring a Photographer is Always a Good Investment - 5 tips on finding a birth, newborn or family photographer in Toronto

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My grandma died earlier this month on her 91st birthday. While all the emotions have been flooding, she lived an incredibly long and vibrant life.

*My grandma, with my then one year old. This was not professionally shot, but is meaningful none the less.*

Amazingly, a lot of her life - through her 20s to age 91 - was captured on film and video. As a birthday present for my grandma, my dad pieced together a video with footage across my grandma’s life. My grandfather was, for a short time, a professional photographer and continued to use his skills to capture their lives together. It’s rare that the amount of footage exists from the 1950’s on wards (it cost my grandparents all their pocket money!) and it’s exquisitely beautiful.

Now a days we can capture everything instantly and cheaply. Gosh, our phones do an amazing job! I am a huge fan of capturing the candid and mundane on phones and tablets - it all holds value in the future, when you look back on it.

However, if it’s in your budget, there is something so valuable about having a professional involved for special shoots.

I’ll let you in on a secret - I did not hire a maternity photographer. I did not hire a birth photographer. I did not hire a newborn photographer.

We have photos of those times, it’s true.

But I REGRET not having some particularly nice ones, that’d I’d be proud to throw in a frame and put on our wall.

We’ve since worked with photographers and I’m glad we have. We’re due for another session and I’ll definitely be calling someone from this list. You bet if we ever have another baby, there will be maternity, birth and newborn photo sessions happening.

Please note - an addition to our family is very unlikely to happen, so please learn from my mistake for me!!

I have a style that I like and you will too. There is a photographer out there for everyone - Toronto is full of talent. Do your research and book it in. Browse websites and instagram accounts - you’ll get a great feel for the photographers talents by seeing many samples of their work.

Many photographers will do a session in your home, which is amazing if you’re finding it hard to get out with your new baby. “But my house is a mess”, you say. It’s easy to shift things around to take some shots and there is beauty in capturing a family in their element.

If having someone in your home, potentially viewing your chaos (truly no one cares - we all get the chaos of parenting. However, it’s totally valid not to want to share it.) many photographers have their own, or have access to a, studio filled with props and visuals.

Time is tight whilst pregnant and with newborns. But no one regrets actually going through with a photoshoot during those times.

The days may feel long, but the years are short - they really do fly by. Capturing the moments, with a professional lens, can extend your memories of your little ones well beyond those fleeting moments.

Here are some of our favourite Toronto (and Toronto area) based perinatal and family photographers: