A safe pair of hands for your baby
It’s never worth risking your baby’s safety. That’s why I only use safe, clean props and tried and tested poses that work with your baby’s physiology.
Unfortunately, newborn photography is an unregulated service. This means that anybody can claim to be a newborn photographer, without any knowledge of how to soothe and pose your baby safely.
I am Newborn Certified with the Master Photographers Association. This means that I have an annual audit of my professional insurances, health and safety practices and my ability to identify and mitigate risk when photographing newborns. The Association checks that I am creating images in a safe way (such as combining two separate photographs into one image for advanced newborn poses).
Click here to read my full Newborn Health & Safety Policy, or scroll down for some of the key things I do to ensure your baby’s safety.
In addition, the Association also ensures that I am capable of delivering the standard of photography that you would expect from a professional. With such a short window of time to achieve those cute and snuggly newborn poses, why risk getting anyone but a professional to capture them?
Key newborn safety practices of Sarah Plater Photography
Safety is the first and foremost consideration when photographing newborns. No portrait is worth putting a baby’s safety, comfort or wellbeing at risk. Below are some of the ways I ensure safety during every newborn photoshoot I carry out:
- COVID-19: I have been triple vaccinated and regularly carry out lateral flow tests to test for the virus.
- Existing health conditions: During the pre-shoot consultation I ask if there are any allergies or medical conditions (e.g. photosensitive epilepsy) I need to be aware of to carry out the session safely.
- General hygiene: I wash my hands before the start of every session, to minimise the risk of infection. Hard-surface props will be cleaned before each newborn shoot, while soft props (wraps, blankets, outfits etc.) will be washed after each shoot using detergent that is tested and approved for use with newborn babies. Soft props that are not washable (e.g. headbands) will be quarantined for 72 hours.
- Comfort first: All newborn sessions are ‘baby-led’, with the needs of the baby met and the photography considerations secondary to the baby’s health and wellbeing at all times. If a baby isn’t taking easily to a pose, or if he or she is showing signs of discomfort by waking, wriggling or wailing, I will move on to the next pose instead.
- Supervision: Babies will never be left unattended while in the studio, including when in a prop, on the posing beanbag or with a young sibling. If I need to move away from the baby, I ask a parent to place their hands on or near to the baby before stepping away, or return the baby to his or her parents first.
- Temperature: The temperature of the studio will be controlled and monitored to maintain it at sufficient warmth for the baby’s level of dress.
- Siblings: Where siblings are unable to support their new brother or sister (typically when under age 2 or if there are learning or behavioural challenges), then the two children will be photographed in a way that ensures both are safe throughout. For example, with both children lying down, the older child kissing the newborn while the latter is lying down or a composite of each child photographed separately. If the child is old enough, competent enough and willing to support the newborn, the pose will be created with the older child sitting down to minimise risk to the newborn. A parent and/or assistant will stay nearby to intervene if necessary.
- Overhead shots: I wear the camera strap around my neck whenever shooting from above babies to minimise the risk of an accident.
- Unsafe image requests: Clients’ requests for poses or specific photos that are felt to be unsafe will be refused.
Click here to read my full Newborn Health & Safety Policy.
Newborn photography is an unregulated service which means that anybody can claim to be a newborn photographer, without any knowledge of how to soothe and pose your baby safely. I am insured, qualified and Newborn Certified with the Master Photographers Association. This means that I have an annual audit of my professional insurances, health and safety practices and my ability to identify and mitigate risk when photographing newborns. The Association checks that I am creating images in a safe way (such as combining two separate photographs for advanced newborn poses). Always check that your newborn photographer is a safe pair of hands for your baby.
Sarah Plater LMPA is an award-winning qualified, certified professional newborn and family portrait photographer based in Bicester, Oxfordshire. She is the Master Photographers Association Newborn Photographer of the Year 2019 for the Central Region (covering Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire).
