The Importance of Safety ~ Durham Region Baby Photographer

To all my readers, I wanted to take a moment to write a post about the importance of safety. I just read about a mishap that happened during a photo session that made me literally shout out loud, OMG!! I don't know the photographers name and won't repeat what happened but it has left a lasting impression on me of how important it is for everyone out there to be informed about the importance of safety and photographing babies.

In my experience working with brand new bundles of joy both on my own and while working at a department store studio, babies safety was and is always top priority behind the scenes for every photograph taken. This goes for children of all ages but the newborn stage extra care needs to be taken. They may seem sleepy one moment and just the slightest noise, draft, touch or new smell will cause them to jerk completely into a different position. My first experiences photographing newborns was at the department store studio I managed before having my own children and deciding to do this on my own. There was a hands off policy for the photographers which meant we were so diligent on having the parents participate in the very time limited sessions they were allowed. I am grateful for this experience before going on my own as I got a feel for how hard newborns actually are to photograph and the importance of safety and liability. Most seem shocked when I tell them they are actually harder then working with toddlers, as most just assume that they sleep most of the session. They need lots of extra love and lulling to sleep, cuddling, warmth, feeding and cleaning between photographs. They require extra patience, time and safety.

The scary part about newborn photography and the rise in its popularity is that there are so many new photographers out there who see a picture and try to mimic it without the experience or know how, paying no mind to safety. Certain tools that are essential in newborn photography are a large bean bag for many poses which doubles as a cushion for some poses where babes are slightly elevated (the ever popular babe in mom or dads hand for example) lots of different blankets, a space heater, a spotter - I get my parents involved for this, and a good editing software program for post processing the image. For more difficult poses that are really popular right now the editing software is a must as most of these cute poses are actually 2 or 3 photographs combined together called a composite, where the parents hands have been edited out. These little ones should never be left unattended when on a bean bag or in a prop such as a basket without someone at arms reach. Never jeopardize the safety of these new little humans for a good photograph. It just isn't worth the risk of an injury or possibly worse.

For anyone wishing to get into this business, please, do your research, attend workshops and take every measure possible to keep those little ones safe and unharmed while you gain more experience. I am sure you would be devastated if anything were to happen. For parents choosing a photographer to document your brand new joy, make sure you choose someone with lots of experience in this area.