Baby Safety, Respectful Posing & Photoshop

A quick overview of what you can expect from a newborn photoshoot with us, including the importance of baby safety, respectful posing and our ethical approach to editing/photoshopping.

Safety First
Your newborn is precious and their safety is our No.1 concern. Since Debbie is a former nurse, we’re uncompromising on this. When working with your baby we will stay by their side at all times as their reflexes can often cause them to fling their arms or kick out. We will watch their positioning for pressure points, their expression for comfort and a host of other factors to ensure they are comfortable and safe.

Equally we understand that your baby cannot support the weight of their own head, this being the vulnerable part of their body. It must be adequately supported and protected from sudden impact or shock. For this reason many poses you see are photo composites, as illustrated with the images of little Patrick, where Debbie is supporting his head in the original shot but her hand has been removed later in photoshop to create the final image.

Although a tool of the trade, we’re not big fans of composite images, instead favouring a more simple and organic approach to newborn photography. In fact we actively steer clear of fancy props and the more elaborate poses that we feel can too often distract from the natural purity of your baby… you can’t improve on perfection!

Further reading on newborn safety: What are the 3 basic things you should you look out for before handing over your precious new bundle?

Patience & Respect
We respect our tiny visitors in all that we do. When we handle your baby, we’ll show them the same care and sensitivity as if they were our own. We use a lot of gentle hand placement to reassure your baby that they are safe as they are being gently posed. Babies often shuffle themselves into positions that naturally feel comfortable, and we’ll try and work with this. Some babies love being swaddled, whilst others dislike being naked. These tiny people already have preferences!

Every pose takes time to perfect, some more than others and sensitive babies take even longer! Usually we will spend 5 to 15 minutes perfecting each pose before even taking a single photograph. This is why your newborn session will last around 3 hours and your gallery averages between 15 and 25 final images. We aim for quality not quantity.

Our approach to newborn portraits is refreshingly yet deceptively simply. We won’t do anything that either looks unsafe, uncomfortable, disrespectful or just downright wrong. If your baby looks safe, happy, content and perfectly relaxed then that’s because they really are, simple!

Authentic & Ethical Editing
Photoshop is like a gift from the digital gods, boldly cleaning up flaky skin, crusty noses, milky moustaches and slobber everywhere. However, we believe that you deserve professionally edited portraits that are sympathetically hand retouched to preserve fine detail and skin texture We never use automated photoshop plugins that in our view, have a tendency to produce mushy, plasticky skin.

Subtle, restrained and professional retouching removes the non-permanent blemishes that would otherwise distract from your baby’s natural features. Bogeys and snot are never a good look, especially when magnified in your feature piece above the fireplace! Whereas permanent features such as moles, birthmarks, fine hairs and milk spots remain untouched.

Further reading on our approach and use of Photoshop: Bogeys, Snot & Slobber