The importance of safety
Your new baby is fragile and precious, and is always treated with the utmost care for their comfort and safety during newborn photoshoots. In the studio safe working practices are always prioritised above getting certain shots, and safety will never be compromised on. In particular attention is paid to the baby’s head and neck, circulation and temperature throughout the shoot. As a parent, when looking at booking a newborn photographer you should never be afraid to ask about safe working practices. A photographer who has been correctly trained and has sufficient experience should be happy to reassure you and address any safety concerns and queries with you.
Newborn photography is surprisingly an unregulated discipline, with no necessary qualifications or regulations to ensure that photographers offering newborn shoots adhere to safety protocols. As a parent, while you want beautiful images of your new baby, you need to be confident that the photographer you choose will be fully focused on your little one’s safety. I was trained in newborn photography by one of the UK’s leading newborn photographers, who is a huge advocate of safety, and I have always carried these principles with me into my own shoots, and I am fully insured. All newborn sessions are baby-led, meaning that the pace of the shoot is dictated by the baby, and often includes breaks for feeding, changing and soothing. This is why all newborn sessions are allotted a three-hour time slot.
Posing the baby
Care is always taken to ensure babies are posed comfortably, and that positioning of the body does not affect circulation. Babies who are very recently out of the womb are highly flexible and are used to being curled up in utero, and will take to some of the more compact, curly poses more readily than older babies who have had more time to get used to stretching out. Some poses (e.g. chin-on-hands) will only ever be attempted if the baby is in a sufficiently deep sleep.
Not every baby will be happy in all of the possible poses, and I will never force a baby into a position they are not comfortable in or will not hold naturally. I am careful not to overextend a baby’s flexibility or put any pressure on their joints. I always take great care in the positioning and supporting of the head and neck in particular to ensure that babies settle into poses comfortably, as babies’ neck muscles are not fully developed until they are around six months old. Newborns should never be left to balance unsupported, even for a few seconds - their wrists and necks are just not strong enough. And babies are never left unattended during their shoot.
I always take care to place the baby on soft surfaces like a beanbag, or in props such as bowls and baskets which are both well padded and stable. For some poses, if there is any chance the baby might startle and roll, or fling out their limbs and move themselves in a prop, I ask a parent or accompanying adult to assist me in the role of spotter. Their role is to hover just out of shot and keep an eye on the baby while I shoot, ready to move in and add a supporting hand if necessary.
When photographing babies I usually shoot from above, so I always ensure my camera is secured around my neck or wrist, and the flash softbox is stabilised. I don’t wear any jewellery during newborn shoots as I don’t want to scratch a baby’s delicate skin accidentally.
Composite images and safe posing
Some images posted online show babies in poses that are simply not safe to do as a single image. Many people do not realise that these poses are often performed as composite images, where the final photo is a combination of several different shots where the baby was supported in the pose by a parent or assistant’s hands. The images are then blended together in editing software such as Photoshop to remove the supporting hands, leaving just the baby in the finished image. Any images where it looks like the baby is dangling or hanging off a prop, or holding up their head in the “froggy pose” should always have been done as composite images for safety. I will not carry out the “froggy pose” on my tiny subjects, even as a composite image where the baby’s head is supported by a parent/assistant at all times, as I just don’t feel that the potential risks are worth getting the shot. The chin-on-hands pose (with support from a spotter) puts less strain on a baby’s delicate wrists and neck and is equally as cute but much safer.
Cleanliness and illness
Sanitisation is vital when working with newborn babies, as their immune systems have not yet developed fully. I use hand sanitiser regularly during newborn sessions, and all props and fabrics are disinfected or laundered between sessions using a sensitive-skin detergent. Any props which are not suitable for washing are put into quarantine for 72 hours before they can be used in another session. The studio is regularly disinfected to maintain high levels of hygiene.
If I am ever feeling unwell before your shoot I will always contact you to rearrange your session. While I appreciate that this can be inconvenient it is never worth the risk of working closely with a baby and passing on a pathogen; I would always rather take extra precautions than put an infant’s health at risk. Likewise if the baby or a family member are ill they should contact the studio to rearrange their shoot for when the baby is better and is not showing any symptoms.
Temperature
Babies often settle and sleep best when the studio is kept warm. The studio is very well insulated and heated to a temperature that will ensure baby is comfortable for naked poses. Babies can lose heat quickly when undressed due to their lack of stored body fat. When adding a wrap or swaddle or an outfit the baby’s temperature and skin are closely monitored to ensure they do not overheat, as babies do not have a fully-functioning thermoregulation when newly born. In keeping the studio at the most suitable temperature for the baby, accompanying adults may find themselves feeling quite warm and perhaps even perspiring a little.
Further reading:
Please click to follow this link to read more about what to expect in a newborn photography session. You can see more examples of photographs from newborn sessions on the gallery page here.
https://apnpi.com/newborn_safety - This page shows some helpful images of “risky” poses and how these can be done more safely as composite shots, along with a checklists for parents to ensure they choose a responsible newborn photographer. Please note that I will not carry out the “froggy pose” in my sessions (not even as a composite) due to safety concerns.