Newborn Photography - Safety is Paramount

Newborn babies, aren't they precious, gorgeous and delightful. Yes, all of those things and more, and we'd like to keep it that way, thank you.

In our saturated world of photographers, newborn photography is growing, figuratively speaking, by the day. The rise in popularity of having your newborn photographed has come a very, very long way from the generic one-pose photo that was done at your general hospital, it has become more focussed (excuse the pun) for a host of different poses and set-ups. With this, it has become a situation whereby some babies are put in a very worrying situation.

Take for instance this pose here, known as the 'froggy' pose, or as I like to call it the 'burping' pose. Now I've seen babies being compromised just so that photographers can achieve this pose. In no circumstance should the baby be put into an unnatural position, whereby their safety isn't number one priority. And only then, with newborn photographers who have undergone extensive training and handling babies the correct way can we begin to achieve certain poses such as this, and this pose is a composite of two photographs stitched together. Don't EVER assume baby is left unattended to pose this way.

Educating potential clients is a must.

Two people are on hand on the baby at all times to ensure baby is comfortable and steady, with no pressure to their joints or being restricted. If baby is wholly uncomfortable with any aspects of posing no photographer should enforce it. Period.

I needed to say something on this matter, because for me, photographing newborns (your baby) is a very skilled, specialist field. It requires gentle handling, safety and great patience. Please do your research. BANPAS http://www.banpas.co.uk/ is an association that actively promotes baby safety, and one that I am a member of. Recommendation and feedback from others that have used certain newborn photographers is another source.

Your baby + our dedication to this profession = happy individuals.

Let's keep it that way.

A small window

Time. We are all consumed by it. We live by it. We set our clocks by it. And we all agree that time is so important.

We get up on time, we get the kids to school...on time. You're getting the gist.

Time as we know it, goes by so quickly. There is only a timeframe in which to do certain things. We wish we had more of it during the day, just to get those 'things' done! We lose time doing monotonous daily tasks, but for me personally time has one meaning for me. Existence.

The very existence of past, present and future, our TIME.

I wish I had my time again to relive special moments in my life. Moments with relatives that have now sadly passed over, or times with my first child, to enjoy those moments of him being a baby, and being so small, but then I am grateful that I got to relive it in other ways with DS2 and now DS3, but I don't have those wonderful, tiny details of my DS1, I never had any professional photos of him when he was a baby (I wasn't a photographer back then). Do I regret not having photos of him with a photographer? Of course I do, yes!

Having photos done of your newborn is the last thing you want to be thinking about, and wish to have done. That is why I always emphasise the importance of booking your chosen newborn photographer when you are at least 6 months pregnant to ensure that the photographer you would like has availability when you are due, as the newborn photos are done during the first 14 days of baby being born, to ensure those sleepy-womb-like poses that you have come to love.

So, on that note, don't waste time, book your newborn photo session now!