February 11, 2023

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Ashley Blair

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Newborn

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Newborn Safety | Philadelphia Newborn Photographer

Choosing a newborn photographer can be a daunting task. There are LOTS of us. It’s a very saturated market, which is a good and bad thing. Good, because you have a lot to choose from, but bad – well, for the same reason. So many websites to comb through, how do you choose? Picking a newborn photographer should not be based purely on aesthetic. Yes, that should rank high, but not number one. There are many different styles of photography, and you want to go with a photographer whose style you are drawn to. BUT, you should also do your homework and make sure your photographer is educated in newborns, has done hands on training, and knows/understands how to safely pose babies. Newborn safety should be number one in your consideration.

newborn baby girl portraits

Why does newborn safety matter in photography? Prior to opening my business, I worked in a hospital as a registered nurse. I worked on Medical/Surgical units as well as Labor& Delivery/Maternity. When I got the itch to do photography, I took many IN-PERSON workshops and trainings specialized in newborns. Safety is definitely something I am passionate about as I have seen many unsafe situations in the newborn photography world.

That said, there are a lot of reasons why newborn safety should be considered.

baby boy in moses basket blue blanket newborn photograph
  1. First is posing. If your photographer has a more “posed” style, they need to know how to safely get babies in those positions. They need to understand the muscle tone and flexibility of newborns. This is not something you attempt to teach yourself.
  2. Second is the safety of props. If you photographer uses buckets, baskets, or anything that can tip, they ALWAYS should have a spotter sitting with the baby at all times. Babies have reflexes which can make them jump or have that startle reflex. This could easily allow for a harmful situation.
  3. Third is understanding babies comfort. I don’t use many props or poses. If I use a prop, it’s usually a mose’s basket. Often times, I will wrap a baby for a good portion of the session. I do this for several reasons, one being this is usually babies most comfortable state. The feeling of being swaddled is very womb-like for a baby. It naturally soothes them. Wrapping a baby, believe it or not, is also another learned task that involves safety. When swaddling newborns, there are strategies behind how you wrap comfortably and safely. There is a method (many of them) to our wrapping skills!!
baby boy wrapped up in white blanket

These are just a few of the many considerations when selecting your newborn photographer! After seeing another photographer pose a baby in a glass bowl (yes, I said glass), I almost died! I always stress the importance of newborn safety to parents looking for the right photographer for them. Having a basic understanding of how safety is intertwined with what we do can give you a little more insight. I hope this helps when narrowing down your search!

To learn more about me and my photography, please visit my site here – ashleyblairphotography.com/about.

baby girl newborn photo pink moses basket

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