Safety is at the centre of every newborn session I do. The images matter, but they always come second to making sure your baby is handled carefully and comfortably throughout. This post takes you behind the scenes a little, so you can see exactly how that works in practice.
Why it matters
Newborns are tiny and their bodies are still adjusting to life outside the womb. Their bones, muscles, and immune systems are not yet fully developed, which means safety during a newborn session isn’t just good practice, it’s essential. I’ve been photographing newborns for over 20 years and in that time I’ve developed a very clear sense of what safe looks like, what it feels like, and when to pause.
A great image is never worth a compromise on care. That’s not a line I ever cross.
Before your session
Safety starts before you arrive. The studio is cleaned and sanitised before every session. I apply sanitiser to my hands and arms before touching your baby, and I follow the medical protocol of being bare from the elbow down with my hair tied back. Your props will have been set up and sanitised in advance based on the options form you’ll have filled in, so everything is ready to go from the moment you walk in.
At the start of your session
Before we get started, I’ll run through a quick checklist with you about your baby. That covers anything from whether they still have their cord clamp (completely fine if so) through to any medical conditions that have been picked up. It only takes a couple of minutes and it means I can adapt how I work with your baby from the very beginning.
I’ll also check in with you throughout the session, explaining what I’m doing as we go and making sure you’re comfortable asking questions at any point.
Temperature control
The studio is kept warmer than you’d probably choose for yourself, because that’s what newborns need. I’m constantly monitoring your baby’s temperature and will adjust if I think they’re getting too warm or too cool. My advice is to dress in layers so you stay comfortable while you’re watching, because it can get quite toasty in there.
The same principle applies across the session. Some babies simply don’t like certain poses, for reasons known only to them, and I never push them into something that doesn’t feel like it’s happening naturally. There’s no rigid shot list. We work to what your baby is comfortable with on the day.
Even if your baby is settled and happy in a pose, I never leave them in it for too long to avoid any risk to circulation. I also use a photographic swaddle during sessions, which is more snug than a standard swaddle and not something you’d use at home, but it’s very safe in a studio context and most babies find it incredibly settling.
I’m within inches of your baby throughout the session. Even when it might not look like it, I’m always watching.
Getting help when needed
I work without an assistant, which keeps the session calm and relaxed. When I do need an extra pair of hands, I’ll ask your partner rather than a stranger, as they tend to be more comfortable moving around and following direction. What I’m usually asking for is simply to have someone close by when your baby is unswaddled, as a belt and braces measure on top of something I already consider safe. I keep it brief and minimal.
Selecting props
Every prop and accessory in my collection has been chosen with safety in mind. Nothing tips or collapses, nothing has sharp edges, and everything is checked when I set it up. When a baby is posed in a bowl or basket, there’s always substantial padding underneath and around them. What you see in the finished image is the result of a lot of invisible preparation.
Experience counts
I’ve photographed hundreds of newborns over more than two decades. That experience means I’m very good at reading the signals a baby gives out, knowing when to move, when to pause, and when to change approach entirely. If I think a baby is even slightly uncomfortable, we stop and sort it before we do anything else.
