How to contract hospitals for newborn photography?

<p>Hi I'm just looking for any info on how to contract hospitals to give me exclusive rights to photograph their newborns? <br>

Basically, where to find a sample contract?<br>

Who to approach and how to go about it?</p>

<p>Thanks for any help!</p>

<p>Julie -</p>

<p>Difficult to answer without knowing if you're in the US, Canada or where.... but....<br>

1) contract - do a google search - you'll need to find a basic exclusivity contract</p>

<p>2) Contact - call the hospital or birthing center and ask for the admin to the Maternity Ward...Don't call the ward nurse or Dr. directly...go through their admin.</p>

<p>3) In the US there are large companies that do this type of photo... My guess is that they have multi-year contracts in place with the hospital and have a legion of sales reps and account reps that deal with the hospitals. They tend to advertise on Craigslist for photographers a lot...</p>

<p>Other things: 1) I'm guessing that most hospitals are going to require you / photographers to undergo some type of a background check. 2) Insurance - if you don't have liability and damage - get it before you call hospitals... 3) Training - some hospitals may require you to go through some type of training / orientation session prior to doing this... So if something happens while you're photographing the infant, you know how to respond, what to do...or not do... 4) Timing - some hospitals do the photos while the baby is in the nursery, others allow the photographers to go room to room... Remembering back when my kids were born - the photographer came into our room, did the photos, left the brochures / order info and left. The photographer had a hospital ID on... (see #1) so I'm guessing that they had some kind of a program for them to go through.</p>

<p>Dave</p>

<p> </p>

<p>If I can make one suggestion, it might be to skip the route of "newborn shots for the masses" and focus on working with a small number of high quality clients instead.  I do this by partnering with OB/GYNs, fertility specialists, neonatalogists, pediatricians, baby boutiques, and the like. <br>

Like anything in business, it really comes down to relationship.  I have relationships with all sorts of kid and baby-friendly businesses.  I hang my work in their store or doctor's office and they refer me exclusively.  Unlike the hospitals, who work with patients at all economic levels, my partner business all deal with a fairly affluent clientele.  When people call me, it's because they want to work with ME and because they are able and willing to SPEND with me.  I do a few custom shoots a week but at a much higher profit margin than I could ever get going room to room hoping for a couple of hundred dollars a pop (my average sales range $1,500 - $2,500 depending on the kind of shoot). <br>

 <br>

Plus, as David correctly mentioned, the insurance, liability, competition with the "big guys" is not something you can beat if you're a one-man band.  I have a small staff and I even know that would be too much to deal with.<br>

 <br>

I hope my non-answer to your question didn't discourage you from trying to get the work.  If you're thinking about creating a more sizeable business model involving many players and a large pool of resources, then definitely go for it.  If you're looking to do this as a sole proprietor, you're better off spending the time, energy, and money creating meaningful relationships that will act as "funnels" for the kind of work you really want.<br>

Best wishes and good luck! :)<br>

Karen Lippowiths</p>

<p>Having just had a baby, I would find it laughable if someone thought they were going to take my day old newborn and try to sell me photos of him. But perhaps customs are different elsewhere.</p>

<p>I agree with Josh. In the States, people buy new cameras or video cameras when they are having a baby. Why do they want a stranger in the room at that time? Is this something you've researched?</p>

<p>Josh and Jeff: Interesting comments. I shoot newborns in the hospital all the time. I used to offer a program as part of which I GUARANTEED a shoot within the baby's first 48 hours of life (usually this took place in the hospital but sometimes at home) and charged top dollar for the "on call" service. </p>

<p>Newborn shoots are some of the highest-paying shoots I do (though my specialty is really children so it's not my mainstay). People are NUTS about their kids and can't wait to show them off to the world. I find no problem in getting these kinds of clients and I don't think Julie will either.</p>

<p>Cheers :)<br /><br />Karen </p>