When Magic Happens - Hills District Newborn Photographer
What to look for when choosing a Newborn Photographer
A lot of people don't realise how important it is to do your research before deciding on a Newborn Photographer. Your decision should involve a number of factors, but the most important question you should ask yourself is, "is this photographers number on priority the safety of my baby?".
Image by Courtney Holmes Films and Photos
I am so passionate about Newborn safety that I wrote an article to help parents choose their Newborn Photographer and it was published by Kidspot.com.au. You can find it here.
You can also read it right here :)
When Magic Happens
When your bundle of joy arrives, time stands still for a brief moment and when it resumes, life is never the same again. Overnight, a partnership becomes a family, the youngest child is no longer the baby, and other siblings start vying for attention.
Regardless of whether the baby is number one or number four, for the parents and family, it is a magical occasion that people naturally want to cherish and treasure, forever. I liken it to the day you say, ‘I do’ and an ever-subtle, unseen shift occurs in the universe.
Image by Courtney Holmes Films and Photos
While not noticeable to the naked eye, this shift presents itself as a force, so beautiful and powerful that it can be captured on camera. So, it’s no surprise then that newborn photography is an ever-growing trend—particularly amongst new parents.
As a newborn photographer, I’m there when the magic happens, and nothing is more fulfilling and humbling then catching that magic moment in a professional portrait, and being part of that family’s incredible first few weeks of their new lives. It’s a privilege and an honour. However, in an unregulated industry, newborn photographers are advertising their services everywhere.
And sadly, a number of unsafe practices, are unfortunately all too common when it comes to newborn photography. Not too long ago, there was an incredibly unsafe trend to put new infants in a glass bowl of gumballs. Not only can the gumballs shift and prevent the baby’s lungs from expanding, the glass could easily break and the outcome could be devastating.
Image by Courtney Holmes Films and Photos
Furthermore, we are also seeing budding photographers trying to replicate the work of professional newborn photographers, which is not only producing cringe-worthy results, but is also putting a number of new babies in precarious situations.
If you are unsure of how a photographer has achieved a particular portrait, it’s more than likely that the outcome is the result of years of experience and hundreds of hours spent on photoshop. In any case, the checklist below is to help you ensure you’re making the right choice when selecting a newborn photographer to safely handle your precious new cargo.
- Ensure the photographer has Public Liability Insurance, in the event that something unforeseen occurs during the photoshoot.
- Confirm that your photographer is trained in first aid, and specifically, infant and baby first aid.
- Check that your photographer has a Working With Children permit, and ask for their reference number, or to see a copy of their certificate.
- Verify whether your newborn photographer is trained to handle and pose the newborn safely and correctly. Many poses are not what they seem, as images are often stitched together in photoshop to ensure the baby is always safe. Take the example of an image of the baby hanging from a basket… the photographer has taken a photograph of the basket and a photograph of the baby safely on the ground, and then used photoshop to stitch the images together.
- Make sure you ask your newborn photographer if they are vaccinated, as new babies are unable to receive all their vaccinations, so it is imperative that the photographer presents no risk to the baby’s health.
If you are planning on photographing your gorgeous new baby, please do your research because there are too many people just pointing and clicking, with little concern for the baby’s health and safety, which should always be our number one priority.
Image by Courtney Holmes Films and Photos
If you would like to book a session for your precious newborn baby, I would love to work with you, you can contact me here.