By: Ashley Diamond Siegert, CPP, Cr.Photog

Are you a newborn photographer struggling to become profitable?

You feel like you are working ALL the time and your bank account doesn’t reflect it. I get it. I have been there.

When you talk to the most successful photographers about this, they will all tell you some similar strategies to improve your profitability.

They will tell you to stop giving away digital files and start selling prints and products in person.

They will tell you to raise your prices to reflect your costs, plus your time, plus your talent. (Plus Taxes!!)

They will tell you to invest in education to become better at your craft so that you can personally feel good about what you are charging.

And guess what? They are right. They are right about all of it. These strategies are all super important if you actually want to make a living as a photographer.

However, there is one more major challenge that you keep running into right? You need to know...

I had been waiting all day for the call. My birth client went into the hospital at 5 am to begin the induction process. Usually, I wait until mom reaches about 6 centimeters before I leave for the hospital, and with an early morning induction, it ranges between about 1-4pm, but at 6pm that night, she still had not progressed. I checked in with Dad, and he told me that they had "backed off the pitocin level a bit because they didn't like her levels."
Then at 8pm my phone rang and he said, "They are taking her in for a C-section right now." I asked quickly, "Emergency C?" "Yes," and we hung up. I jumped in my car and got there as fast as I could.

I knew they were not going to let me into the OR but I knocked on the door of the delivery room area and checked with the nurse just in case and she directed me to the waiting room where I met 4 nervous grandparents, 2 aunts and a 6 year old cousin.
After about 20 minutes, a nurse came out and waived me over. She walked with me to...

Ashley Diamond Siegert, CPP Cr. Photog

It's no secret that Birth Photography is one of the hottest trends in the market. While it is an INCREDIBLE way to build your business, I'll be honest, it's not for everyone.

Here are a few things to consider if you are thinking about adding Births to your product line.

1. Why do you want to be a birth photographer? What about births appeals to you? Is it the miracle of life? Photojournalism and story telling? Knowing your "why" will help you craft your marketing message, and help you through some long nights in the hospital.

2. Are you prepared to be on-call all of the time? Babies come when babies want to come. This may be in the middle of the work day, the middle of the night or the middle of your tropical vacation. While having a backup photographer can help you navigate your schedule, you need to be prepared to have your gear packed and ready in your car during your next night out with your honey bunny.

3. Do you have support at...

The Unplugged Birth
Ashley Diamond Siegert

By now, we have all heard about the term “unplugged wedding.”

“Put your phones away and be present. We hired a photographer for that!”

Brides and photographers alike have shouted it from the rooftops for the last 5 years since smartphones completely took over our lives and very few of us can take the time to be present and mindful in the moment for any large life event. I mean, we have to post! “Pics or it didn’t happen,” right??

Lets be honest, think forward to when you are lying in your hospital bed an hour after giving birth, how much would you love to tell your mother-in-law to, “Put your phone away.” Because YOU KNOW…she is going to post it without running it by you first. (Drive-by posting anyone?!)

Putting your phones away does not mean you can’t have pictures of your baby’s first day. The new trend of professional birth photography is taking the responsibility...