Newborn Safety & Photography

Jun 27, 2019

Say what? Newborn safety is incredibly important, it’s why you found the best OBGYN, checked crib safety features and bought the best car seat available.  But safety should be just as important when you look for a photographer. You’ve waited 9 months, maybe years, maybe a lifetime for your newborn to arrive. So why would you trust just any photographer to work with your newborn.

Here’s the real deal. That pose that was totally popular a few years ago called the froggy, you know the one where the newborns head is propped up on its hands. Babies can’t do that. The only way that can be done safely is through a composite. That means that you literally hold your baby’s head while the photographer takes two separate photos and then in photoshop after your shoot puts the two together. IF your photographer isn’t trained on newborn safety and is self-taught, they might just try to pose. That’s incredibly dangerous.

No two pregnancies are alike. No two newborns are alike. Not all babies will pose the same, largely because of the way they were in the womb- it’s important to never push babies into posing they don’t naturally settle in to. Plus, it just doesn’t look like your baby.

Did you love your labor and delivery nurse? Ok, maybe not the 800th time they woke you up, but they knew what they were doing, they knew how to hold your baby, they knew what you needed because they see it every day. It’s the same concept. Pick a photographer who isn’t just good with a camera, you need one who is amazing with newborns. It’s a totally different skill set and kinda like your wedding, you only have one changes to capture them when they’re that little.

So, the real question is how to tell if your newborn photographer is the real deal or just someone who will shoot anything!

Three Questions to ask your photographer:

  1. How Long have you been photographing newborns?
    • If they answer, occasionally or well I have kids – pass they do not specialize in newborns.
    • If they answer, I’ve been photographing newborns for years – cool, they know their stuff.
  2. Are you trained in newborn safety?
    • If they answer, yes – cool, they’re pros!
    • If they answer no, but I have kids – pass, it’s not their specialty.
  3. Do you have a studio?
    • Yes, they shoot newborn sessions in studio with equipment and props customized for newborns. – cool, they’re a pro
    • No, they come to your home. – this is ok as long as they bring the safety equipment with them like a beanbag, lighting, props, hats

HINT: this isn’t as convenient as it sounds. It means that they are in your space (that you had to clean up) for hours.

I’m on a mission to disrupt the industry and ensure your newborns are safe and new mamas are getting their best images. It’s kinda like those who regret getting an ok photographer for their wedding when they see amazing work on Instagram. 

So, we’re obviously a portrait studio that specializes in Newborns. So, we’d love for you to choose us, but if not, I won’t hold it against you as long as you choose a pro. But I did want to share our philosophy. We believe you and mother nature did it best. We work with the baby to find natural poses that they feel comfortable in. We feel that translates into amazing images while capturing their true essence. We like to see newborns within the first 7-10 days. This is because moms’ milk has come in, if she’s nursing so they have full bellies and are sleepy. But it’s also because Babies are born with 300 bones and as an adult we have about 206, as they grow they begin to fuse together (to be honest, you could trust your newborn with someone who knows that level of detail). We use natural light, poses and props. We are a team of women who love newborns and memories. We are all trained in both newborn safety as well as newborn massage. And our team has been shooting newborns for eight years, professionally. We curate looks and style sessions.

xoxo

Lara

#xoxoivorytree  #mainlinephotographer #philadelphiaphotographer #mainlinephotography #philadelphiaphotography #newbornphotographer #newbornsafety

About the Author

Lara Aman Mattey

Founder I Owner I Ivory Tree

Lara is the coolest person alive, according to her husband, Nick, & two little ladies, Caitie & Lorelai. But she thinks her time is limited on that statement as they continue to grow older. Lara comes from a large family, with whom she is still very close with & you’ll often see shared through the blog and on social media. She went to Penn State (We Are…) where she met Nick.

Ivory Tree's very own photographer, Marcy shot her newborn photography sessions & Lara was hooked! Lara is not a photographer, super weird, we know. But lives for the experience, creative direction, and meeting all the cool folks who come through the Ivory Tree Portraits studio!

In addition to studio awards, Lara was also recognized at a Women of Influence on the Main Line in 2023.

Follow along as she shares studio antics, personal antidotes, & fun stuff going on in the community.

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