Safety in Newborn Photography

Over the years that I have been a professional newborn photographer, I have seen many fads and techniques come and go but one question that keeps being raised is ‘Is newborn photography safe?'. Read on for more on Safety in Newborn Photography and how I work with your baby.

Safety in Newborn Photography

When I undertook my training to be able to offer newborn photography, safety was a huge part of the curriculum.

I hadn’t realised how much safety plays a part during sessions and it’s a reason you should definitely book an experienced or well-trained photographer for your newborn photoshoot.

I’ll take you through some of the safety aspects I have to consider when you bring your little one to me for their portraits.

Safe Newborn Posing

Even with the most natural posing during a newborn photoshoot, I am constantly aware and am checking your baby’s temperature and skin colour.  My studio has to be very warm to keep your baby sleepy and settled without their clothes so it’s important we keep an eye on your baby.

For certain poses, I may ask you to ‘spot’ your baby.  This might include keeping a hand on them at all times or staying very close to them depending on the shot.  Often, the final portraits I produce are the result of two, or even three, images being merged together in photoshop. Especially in poses like the 'frog' as you can see below. This is a very popular pose, however so many don't realise that baby is never left in this position alone, this is achieved by myself or a parent taking the weight of babys head and holding them at all times so that no harm comes to them. This ensures your baby is completely safe at all times.

Prop Safety for Newborn Photography

When I use wraps during the session, I’m keeping an eye on your baby - we don’t want them wrapped to tightly or for them to get too warm. I’ll be looking out for their fingers and toes to stay nice and pink as an indicator that they are comfortable and safe. They're wrapped firmly and securely solely to keep them settled and comfortable.

When I use blankets and wraps, especially the wool ones, it’s easy for threads to become loose. I keep a close eye on this to make sure that any loose threads don’t become entangled in your baby’s hands or feet. I also check this and request you check too before you dress your baby at the end of the session.

Safety in My Portrait Studio

As well as working closely with your newborn, I have to consider all aspects of safety while you are in my studio.  For this reason I don’t use synthetic air fresheners and don’t allow hot drinks in the area where I work. If you bring a coffee/hot drink with you, this will be kept in the seating area so that it isn't anywhere near where I'll be moving around shooting baby.

I also don’t use ladders to get overhead shots, instead investing in the correct lens to allow me to get the perfect image safely.

I check for trip hazards and ensure that all the props, blankets and wraps that have been used in a session are washed and sanitised before being used again in another session.

All of my lighting and equipment is perfectly safe to use around newborns and young families and my electrical equipment is PAT tested annually.

Newborn Photography is Perfectly Safe

I hope this article has helped you to understand that newborn portrait photography is perfectly safe if you choose a professional and experienced newborn photographer.  If you’d like to see footage of me working or what goes into setting up your session you can see more on my social media here.