I love a deal, but can we all agree that the cheapest option, isn’t always the best option? When it comes to safety, especially my children’s safety, I definitely think twice before trying to save a buck.
We hear a lot of talk about safety when it comes to our children in the car, on a changing table, or in their crib but, I don’t often hear people talking about safety when it comes to your baby at their newborn portrait session.
Newborns can be easily hurt falling from a posing bag, out of a prop, or just being improperly posed, and not all photographers have taken training to learn how to safely care for a pose a newborn at their session.
When choosing your photographer, remember, it is ok to ask your newborn photographer to ensure your baby’s safety. A professional photographer is anyone who is charging for sessions and because there are no laws or requirements for the type of training a photographer needs, it can be hard to tell what training, if any, that photographer has had to learn their camera, posing, or newborn safety.
So what questions should you be asking before hiring a newborn photographer?
Have you taken any safety training for posing newborns?
There are many options for training including many online courses, mentoring with other more experienced photographers, or in-person courses. I was originally trained to safely pose newborns back in 2007 when I worked in a commercial children’s studio. However, since my training there only covered a handful of poses I continued my training with online courses in 2010 when I launched my business. My training included safety for posing bag poses, buckets or props and safely posing newborns in family portraits.
Each photographer may have slightly different training since there isn’t a standard or official certification program for photographers. The important thing is to make sure that your photographer has taken safety training so your baby doesn’t get injured during your session.
A slight side note on this before I move on. Most of the paragraph above applies to posed newborn portraits of the baby alone and with family members. Many newborn photographers offer lifestyle newborn sessions. These are sessions, typically in your home, where your newborn is photographed in their crib, casually cradled in your arms, and in other everyday scenarios. While your child's safety is still a factor in these sessions basic common sense is typically all that is needed to keep your baby safe. While it is still important to ask a lifestyle newborn photographer about safety, their answer will likely look a little different and that is ok.
What precautions do you take to keep the baby safe and comfortable?
Safety and comfort should be the top priority over getting the shot. The reality is some shots may take up to 30 minutes to get your baby calm and relaxed. True professional newborn photographers will take the time to calm and soothe your baby until they are relaxed and comfortable in the pose. We also use tricks like white noise machines and heaters to calm your baby. Your photographer should be using safety measures like always having someone within arms reach when your baby is on the posing bag or on a prop, weighing down the bottom of baskets and props to prevent them from tipping, and making sure your baby is fully settled into the pose before letting go to take the shot.
Are the props and studio area sanitized between sessions?
Wraps, blankets, and newborn outfits get washed in between sessions with a natural, fragrance-free laundry detergent. We like to keep a chemical-free studio for the safety of everyone, especially our littlest visitors. We have opted to use Force of Nature vinegar-based cleaner which has been EPA approved for use against Covid-19 and kills 99.9% of germs. This allows us to keep a clean and sanitized studio without having an environment that is covered in toxic chemicals.
Jennifer Tavera is a Luxury family, maternity and newborn photographer in Denver Colorado who specializes in creating an experience that will make mom feel confortable, papered and beautiful so she will be excited to turn her portraits into art for her home. Sessions are available outdoors all over the Denver and Boulder area and studio sessions in the studio space in Arvada. Ready to start planning your dream session? Click below to schedule a call.