Creating a timeless memory of your newborn
Photos are a way of stopping time. Time is one thing we can't change, but we can hold onto a memory in a photo. We know that babies grow up all too soon. The sleepless nights feel endless at the time, but then the days pass, months pass, and your newborn is now sitting, crawling, and then walking.
This new little person changes your life forever and soon all you have are the memories of how your baby used to be. When your baby is older she will want to see what she looked like as a newborn, how you looked, what you wore, your hairstyles, how much younger everyone was.... Photos create nostalgia and happy memories, don't they?
In the hospital
When I had my first baby I had an unscheduled c-section. I'd been through 24 hours of labor, didn't sleep at all, felt pains I had never felt before, and was exhausted. My husband had the camera and took photos of me in the hospital and my new little baby. I'm glad I have some photos because it's all a blur now.
I didn't buy the hospital mug shots they took of my burrito baby. I thought I could do better once I got home. Looking back it would have been amazing to have a fresh 48 done with a professional photographer to make me look my best and have great shots of me and my baby.
Experience
I think the top reason to hire a professional photographer is their experience. Photographers spend tens of thousands of dollars on gear, training, and running a business. It's definitely not cheap. They spend countless hours taking photos, getting feedback, trying more photos, and editing them for hours and hours. Photographers take tens of thousands of photos with their camera and know how to use everything on their camera. Auto mode on a camera is not always the best option and a photographer knows the best lighting, angles, and how to get the best shot. They can make the ordinary look artistic and unique. They bring out the best features of a person and know how to flatter you in a photo.
It's like cooking. Anyone can make a sandwich or try to cook. A chef, however, has studied the art of cooking and can make a signature dish that is all his own. You value the expertise and quality of a trained professional.
Professional Gear
Your iPhone can take great wide angle shots, but it's not a portrait lens that costs $2500 (yes, that's what a good lens will cost and some cost more.) Professional cameras had larger sensors, are better in low light, and the photo images will be better. you can enlarge an image to 4 feet by 6 feet and it will look good. Portrait lenses are more flattering for a portrait than a wide angle lens on your phone. The wide angle distorts the image. Also you get a beautiful bokeh (blurry background) from an expensive lens. Short answer is it definitely looks better.
Professional Prints
I have professional prints available through my website and they only work with professional photographers. The professional print labs work with professional photographers, so you get archival paper, more vivid color, fast service, and overall such a better quality print. You can really notice the difference when you enlarge your photos past 11x14.
I tried Costco for some test prints. Costco is better than drug stores and offer matte finish, but their paper is lighter and the colors are not as true. I could tell a difference. Also it takes 2 weeks to get your prints shipped from Costco. With my lab, I get next day delivery. I took bridal photos on a Saturday, ordered prints on Monday, and they were here Tuesday. Pretty amazing.
Have you ever had photos fade? I have photos of my 2 little girls that I had done at Walmart's photo studio. Those images are 15 years old or more and now they are faded and had a very magenta tint. So sad! I wish I would have spent more on quality prints! (You'll notice Walmart does not have a portrait studio anymore. Their service was never that great either, but it was cheap. Really, you'll get what you pay for.)
Memories
To document your memories, hang photos on the wall, make photo albums, send out Christmas cards, I hope you will invest in a professional photographer. I know it's made a difference when I use one for our family photos.