I love my job as a newborn photographer. To be able to capture a new life just a few days old is an extreme honor. I also love the opportunity that it provides to be creative and capture fun shots for my clients. Doing this job is a true passion of mine.
Along with being creative and having a passion for these sweet little ones, I also have a great passion for advocating Baby Safety. Baby Safety doesn’t just stop with newborns either… but that is an entirely different post all together.
With as popular as newborn photography has become, many aspiring newborn photographers are still learning how more complicated shots are done; and unfortunately, attempt poses and props without proper safety measures. I want to help educate and shine a light on HOW to do shots like the one below safely…
Here’s how I did it:
- Dad is sitting on the floor with his legs criss-crossed and draped in a black sheet.
- Under the sheet I have stuff blankets inside his legs and also on top of his legs to help support baby once I’ve transitioned baby over.
- Baby is positioned prior to being transitioned. NOTE: baby needs to be in a deep slumber in order to attempt more complicated shots like this.
- After positioning baby onto ball and with my hands still holding baby, I have mom place one had under the black sheet supporting baby’s body and the other supporting the baby’s head. PLEASE – PLEASE – PLEASE always support a baby’s head and never just “balance” it.
- Once baby is set up I pull back and take the necessary shots, which takes under 1 minute.
- In post I composite two separate images for the final image.
Message to Photographers:
Please do not attempt poses if you do not feel that you can confidentally keep baby’s safety number 1. It is OKAY to say “NO” if you are presented with a request from parents. I have said “no” on multiple occasions… The other option that I provide is to attempt a composite, in which the baby is never actually on the prop, but composited in post production.
REMEMBER: You have a great responsibility in protecting the precious LIFE that you are photographing, which is NOT a prop or doll.
There are many outstanding professional newborn photographers who have dedicated their time and talent in helping educate aspsiring newborn photographers in proper posing etc. Seek them out, invest, and learn.
Message to Parents:
Sweet parents, if you feel that the photographer you have chosen is attempting a shot that you are uncomfortable with or are not taking safe precautionary measures, please know that you can say NO and ask them to do something else. Your precious little one should never be left unattended on a prop without someone within arms length.
As mentioned above, my love for photographing these sweet ones is a true passion of mine. Educating aspiring newborn photographers is just as great! Happy SAFE shooting!
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follow me on facebook!
all images copyright protected and property of {michelle newell} photography
please do not copy | save | alter images from blog in any way
feel free to {pin} on pinterest
I also love the opportunity I have been given to teach other photographers about newborn photography. By no means is this an ”easy” job. It takes a lot of patience and love to photograph these precious gifts.
