Safety First ~ Brisbane Newborn Photographer Kelly Brown

Lately I’ve had a few messages from new photographers to our industry regarding the safety of certain newborn poses so I thought I would share some of my thoughts regarding safety, some tips and a couple of images.

 

The safety of the baby is the most important aspect of your session. And, parents will also feel more comfortable throughout the session knowing that their baby is in safe hands.

 

We must remember that it is a privilege to be asked to photograph these little bundles and I believe that too often then not we get caught up in getting ‘the’ shot that we forget the real reason we are hired – which is to document every little detail of these babies and this incredible time in our clients lives so that it can be remembered forever.

 

When photographing newborns, it doesn’t have to be complicated. The simplest of images are often the most beautiful and treasured.

 

These are the safety rules I have in place for my studio…

 

  • Never leave a baby unattended in a prop, on your posing bag or with a young sibling.
  • Always have a spotter or parent next to your baby when using props
  • Use a support hand or finger when posing the baby and clone it out later in Photoshop.
  • Don’t force a baby into any pose. Instead, adjust them to where they are comfortable.
  • Have your camera strap around your neck when shooting above the baby.
  • Never stand on anything above the baby in case you fall or it breaks.
  • Never put a baby inside or on an object / prop that could potentially break or fall.
  • Glass props should never be used.

 

There are some poses that you may be asked to create by your client. I can’t stress enough how important it is to know how they are created safely.  Some being composite images that will require Photoshop to put multiple images together.  Composite images are the only way to really ensure the safety of the baby when doing poses like the ‘froggy’ or ‘cocoon’. You need to be able to explain to your clients what’s involved with creating these set ups as they will be required to assist you if you don’t work with an assistant.

I would explain to the parents that if the baby becomes uncomfortable at any stage, you would move onto the next pose. I personally would leave images like these if they are requested till the end of the session and I would not attempt poses like these on your own if doing them for the first time.

 

If the baby isn’t going into a position easily or is showing signs of discomfort by waking or wriggling it’s time to move on or finish the session if you are at the end.

 

I am lucky enough to know a lovely photographer by the name of Fiona McGuire who before having her own children worked in neonatal and paediatric intensive care and special care wards as a physiotherapist. A while back we had a discussion about poses like the ‘froggy’ and the ‘taco’ regarding the dangers. I believe it’s very important to understand babies and what they’re capable of when handling them. No shot is worth the risk if something was to go wrong.

 

And I’m a big believer in “prevention is ALWAYS better then cure”.

 

The positioning…

The ‘froggy’ pose puts the hips into a bent up and spread wide position (flexion and abduction). This causes their muscles up the back of the legs and bottom to stretch. When in utero most babies hips and knees are bent up like this, which is why after birth their legs will remain up and bent when they’re on their backs. So in theory there should be little risk of dislocating hips in this position as dislocation usually happens when the legs are bent up and bought in together.  My main worry with this pose is the placement of the hands – getting them into position requires a very sleepy, relaxed baby. If they’re wriggling around in this upright position they will be very unstable because a newborns neck is not strong enough to support their head – Most babies are top heavy as their head accounts to roughly 25% of their body weight. And if the hands and head are not properly supported the weight of the head can put a lot of strain on their little wrists.

 

Vertex presentation

The hip positioning in the ‘froggy’ pose is basically the same as in the ‘taco’. But in the ‘taco’ pose the weight of the upper body is on their lower half, which can be very uncomfortable to the baby if they are not supported and positioned properly. I tend to only attempt this pose on newborns that naturally draw their legs up into this position.

 

If a baby has unstable hips with a tendency to dislocate this should have been picked up during their screening after birth at the hospital. I would check with the parents about screening before attempting either of these poses.

 

And, use common sense. If the baby isn’t easily going into a certain position or is showing signs of discomfort do NOT force them.

 

The more comfortable you make the baby during your sessions the more content they will be. If they are continually moved and disturbed during the shoot they will become over stimulated and unsettled. Gentle, small movements that transition babies into different poses will keep your babies nice and calm and ensure a smoother session.

 

And remember that every baby is different. They will all have ‘their’ comfy spot so they need to be worked with and photographed individually.

 

 

froggy comp post

Above left the ‘froggy’ pose on the left and above right a safe simple hand held set up using the posing bag.

NewbornPosing-1600x900px_1

Above the ‘taco’ pose.  This image has been rotated counter clockwise to make the baby look like they were lying flat.

coocoon comp

Above the ‘cocoon’ pose.

12 thoughts on “Safety First ~ Brisbane Newborn Photographer Kelly Brown

  1. Pingback: How to Pose a Newborn for Photography

  2. Isabelle says:

    Kelly,
    Thank you again for putting a huge emphasis on safety, and for teaching it firmly. I enjoyed watching you on CL talking about this important topic. Any photographer willing to specialise in newborns should watch your class, and this blog post is a must read too!
    Isabelle

  3. Diane Bartoo says:

    Thank you for sharing this information on newborn safety. Learning the specifics on why these poses need to be a composite and seeing the images that make up the final portrait is so helpful.

    You are a true artist, you work is beautiful.

  4. Tabatha Long says:

    Thank you for this post! I have shyed away from taking clients with newborns because I don’t have children and am always afraid something is going to happen. I think I will try out your suggestions as my friends have children to get myself more comfortable. Thank you for the information!

  5. Ginni Tuggle says:

    Thank you so much for sharing this information with your followers. It is so helpful! Last week i had a newborn session that I was doing as a gift for one of my husband’s employees. When mom arrived with her baby, she informed me that the baby has acid reflux and has stopped breathing after being fed. I was almost afraid to do any poses with this baby because I was afraid she was going to stop breathing on me! She was 7 weeks old so I knew from the get-go that I wouldn’t be able to do some of the poses that I could with brand new babies, but when her mom told me about her breathing, I was even more afraid to move her. I ended up placing her on her side (mom said that is the best position for her breathing) and doing a wrap with several different bows, headbands and hats. It was frustrating but I explained to mom that this was the best I could do given her breathing issues. What would you have done?

  6. Rozarfedo says:

    The poses in which the photography of a new born has done are very helpful and it shows that lots of efforts have been made for the new born photography. Well Done.

  7. Frances Mcgoldrick says:

    Love your work…you are so patient and gentile with the babies..an artist at work—like magic!
    Thank you for the tips and insight
    Fran

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