This post is near and dear to my heart. It’s Newborn Safety Week. I felt compelled obligated as a professional photographer who works with a lot of newborns to write about the importance of safe practice when working with babies. So, here goes.

I love newborns. They’re fresh and new. They smell so sweet. And when they smile (even if it’s from gas), it melts my heart. I feel privileged that I’m often called upon to photograph newborns. It’s such a rewarding experience for me, despite the endless poop and pee. But here’s the reality. A baby is not a toy. A baby is a precious human being that cannot speak for itself. Yes, babies are quite resilient, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to abuse them for the sake of pushing boundaries to get “the shot”. Parents put a lot of trust in their photographers to err on the side of caution, so that’s exactly what we must do. Even though you won’t see a lot of intricate posing from me (my personal style as I prefer to keep things extremely natural and organic), I still need to maintain safety at all times. Eyes and hands must always be on a baby. Even if a baby is resting comfortably; if they’re off the floor (ie: on a beanbag), they need to be spotted at all times. Newborns aren’t able to roll over, but it doesn’t mean they can’t roll off a surface if left unattended. And if that happened, it would be absolutely devastating. Not only to a baby and its parents, but also to our industry as a whole.

Here’s the thing. A lot of poses that you see may look easy to you and me, but that’s not always the case. Many are actually composites, where two images are blended to make one master image. And don’t be fooled — we all use Photoshop to turn our visions into reality. Case in point. This particular baby, seen below, couldn’t keep his head up, and why should he? Newborns are typically top heavy. And they have absolutely little to no ability to keep their heads up on their own. Having Daddy’s hand firmly placed to simply lift his baby’s head from slumping did the trick. Baby was safe and we ended up with a beautiful shot — one of their favourite shots from the session!

But safety isn’t just for newborns. I do this with older babies too, who aren’t able to sit on their own who can easily topple over. Again, safety should always come first. Otherwise, what’s the point. This shot is a composite of two images (it was bright so I took a shot of the background as well) and yes, this baby was sitting on a soft piece of sand at the end of October (we’ve had an awesome fall season), but I still felt the need to ensure that a hand was on him at all times. Dad was easy enough to clone out for the resulting image!

I know there are many photographers looking to push the envelope, especially amateur photographers who are coming into the field inexperienced trying to make their mark. But is it really worth it? Putting a newborn baby into a pose that is uncomfortable for them is not cool. If they don’t want to cooperate, move on to another pose, especially if they keep wriggling out of a position, or heaven forbid, they start turning blue! Some babies want to be on their tummy. Some don’t. Some like white noise. Others prefer Phil Collins haha (true story!!). The point I’m trying to make is that you need to make sure you’re acting on behalf of that little baby in your care. Read the signs and use common sense. Treat every baby as if they were your own. A baby will let you know when they’re not happy.

At the end of the day, parents will appreciate the means you’ve taken to practice safety with their little ones. Yes, we all have to start somewhere — but if you’re new in this field, please understand that most of what you see isn’t real. Please take the time to learn about baby posing and safety before you start working with little ones. And parents, please do your research. Ask those important questions before you book a photographer. Most newborns are photographed in the first 5-10 days of life (and there’s a reason for that), but while they’re in such a new and fragile state, please be aware of their needs. That’s all I ask.

Education is a two-way street! Let’s do our part to keep these little ones safe! :)