Is newborn photography safe by a professional photographer?
Newborn photos by a professional photographer are some of the most adorable images out there! Those sweet poses of a sleepy baby are images that parents absolutely love. But is it safe to pose a small baby like that?
A professional photographer, who specializes in newborn photography, should be certified in safely posing and photographing newborns. These posed studio photos are wonderful to have, but you should never entrust the posing of your baby to an amateur or unprofessional photographer. When done correctly, posed newborn photography is perfectly safe, but when done improperly, it can cause harm to your baby.
Let’s talk about newborn photography’s most important aspect: keeping your child safe.
Can I take my own newborn photos?
If you have a quality camera at home and want to try to DIY some newborn photos, don’t! Try out your skills on family photos, engagement photos—anything but newborns. These images are especially challenging to get and to pose correctly and are definitely not the place for a beginning photographer to practice their skills. You should never pose a newborn unless you’ve taken educational courses on how to do so safely and been certified by a professional organization.
What poses are safe?
The poses you see in traditional newborn photos are designed to be safe and secure to the child. These poses keep pressure off your baby’s spine and neck, ensure that their airway is clear and allow the photographer to move the baby from one pose to the next with as little adjustment as possible.
In fact, some of these images are what’s known as composite images! That means that the photographer’s hand is actually in the photo, and the images are pieced together to make it look as though the baby is alone.
How old should my baby be for newborn photos?
Most photographers recommend that your child is between seven and 14 days old for their newborn session. At Stinsman Photography, we prefer 12-20 days of birth. At this time, your baby is sleepy and easier to pose, allowing the photographer to recreate positions they may have taken in the womb.
How do I know if a newborn photographer is safe?
Before you book a newborn photographer, talk to them about how they will keep your baby safe. An experienced, professional photographer should have a whole host of rules in place for photographing newborns, such as:
- Properly weighting and securing all props
- Safely wrapping or swaddling a newborn
- Posing your baby safely and with minimal movement
- Sanitation processes between sessions
- An understanding of what situations are safe and unsafe
What Covid precautions is your newborn photographer taking?
With this pandemic, even though children are less susceptible to the virus, it's still important that your photographer is taking precautions in the studio and out of the studio. Your photographer should be wearing a mask, sanitizing before and after sessions, washing fabrics and putting props that can not be washed into a quarantine period. At Stinsman Photography, precautions are second nature to us. We make everything is ready for you the day of your session and wash everything before you arrive.
If at any point you feel that your child is not safe, stop the session. Ask the photographer to explain what they’re doing before they do it. A professional will be more than happy to help you understand why their poses are safe and knows that your child’s safety and health is the number one priority!
Want to see more? Here is a link to our newborn portfolio and another video of a past session. Please note, these sessions are from 2018.
