If you're reading this, you're probably a mom (or a mom-to-be) who wants beautiful photos of your baby and wants to be sure your baby is safe while it happens. That's exactly the right instinct, and you shouldn't have to feel awkward about it. I'm Mandy, a mom of three and a newborn and family photographer based in Abilene, Texas. Here is what safety looks like in my sessions, and what I'd want you to look for in any photographer you consider.
What I Most Want You to Know
I’m an attachment style mom (or “crunchy,” as some people say). I’m also a trust your gut, ask a million questions kind of mom, so please know you can be that mom with me. I have three children, and all three were born by C-section, one of them an emergency with complications. I also had a NICU baby. I know how tender and tiring this season is, and how important the bonding time is during these early weeks. My number one priority at every session is your baby’s safety and comfort. The photos come second to that, every time.
What I Do Before the Session Starts
Clean Hands, Every Time
The first thing I do when I walk in is wash my hands thoroughly. Because of my NICU experience, I know how long a real hand wash should take, and I take my time with it. I also keep my own vaccinations up to date. If a mom would like me to wear a mask, I'm happy to. That's a reasonable request, and any photographer you hire should feel the same way.
Training That Fits Newborns
I'm CPR certified in adult and infant CPR, and I've taken newborn photography safety classes, including one taught by a registered nurse (a NICU nurse) who became a photographer. On top of that, I'm a mom of three, so handling babies isn't new to me. Experience and training together matter, and I don't think you should settle for one without the other.
How I Photograph Newborns Safely
Baby-Led Posing
My style is lifestyle and baby-led. That means I refine the positions your baby naturally falls into instead of forcing them into a pose. I watch your baby's cues the whole time: sleepy, alert, hungry, unsettled. If baby cries, we soothe. If baby shows feeding cues, we feed. We never wait for a baby to "cry it out," because babies cry for a reason, and the answer is always to respond.
If you’d like to see how a full session feels, I wrote about [my simple, meaningful approach to newborn photography].
Checking Airways and Necks
I'm constantly checking your baby's neck position. A chin tucked to the chest or a head tipped too far back can compromise breathing, and positional asphyxiation is serious. If a position puts that at risk, we don't do it.
Parents Hold Their Baby
I'm rarely the one holding your baby. You are. This is your bonding time, and I don't want to interrupt it. I am never left alone with your baby, and parents are always in the room.
Keeping Baby Comfortable
I don't encourage overfeeding or overheating, and I don't ask you to disrupt your baby's sleep schedule. I also don't require you to bring your baby in during a narrow window of days after birth just so they're extra sleepy and bendy. Your baby's timeline is your baby's timeline.
My Camera Strap
My camera strap is always around my neck when I'm working near your baby. It's a small thing, but a dropped camera over a newborn is a real risk, and I won't take it.
Poses I Will Never Do
Before I list these, I want to be clear about something. I don’t skip these poses because they’re too difficult. I skip them because safety comes first, and because I believe your newborn is perfect just the way they are. They don’t need to be put in unnatural positions that don’t even look like them. I’d rather photograph your baby as they really are.
Some of the most popular newborn photos online are not what they appear to be. Many are composites, which means two or more photos blended together in editing.
The froggy pose and the head in hands pose. These require one image where the hands are supported and another where the head is supported, blended in Photoshop. Doing them as a single pose is unsafe.
Babies that appear to hang or float in midair. These are composites, or the baby is laid on the ground in a way that looks like hanging. A baby should never be suspended.
Leaving a baby alone on a bed, sofa, beanbag, or any raised surface, even for a moment.
Propping a baby on an unstable surface or in any spot where they would need to be held in place to avoid falling.
There’s another reason I stay away from these poses. Photos like these show a kind of distorted reality. They look natural and effortless, but they’re often two or more images blended together. If you don’t know that, it’s easy to think you can recreate one at home, or that a photographer can do it in a single moment. I don’t want to put anything out into the world that could lead someone to try it with a real baby. I’d much rather show you what a safe, true-to-life newborn photo looks like.
To me, a baby alone in a stylized position just isn’t natural. Babies are meant to be in their mother’s arms. If a parent asks for one of these poses, I say no. Most of the time that conversation happens over the phone and in my questionnaire, long before session day, so nobody is surprised. I explain what a composite image is, and if a mom has a photo in mind, I show her how it was really created and why it isn’t safe. Then I find a safe way to capture something similar. New parents are almost always understanding, because they can hear that the decision is about keeping their baby safe.
A Story From a Recent Session
Not long ago, I photographed a sweet baby girl who was fussy any time she was put down. She was awake for much of the session, and I didn't get the classic sleepy newborn portrait in the crib that I had planned for. But, that was okay. I told her parents she might need to be held the whole time, and that was fine with me. She was in her parents' arms for nearly the entire session, and we still came away with beautiful photos of her wide, curious eyes. Awake babies full of wonder are some of my favorite images. Eventually, she fell asleep, and we were able to get some sleepy portraits in Mom and Dad’s arms. They were still beautiful. Safety and comfort came first, and the photos followed.
Be Careful With Siblings and Helpers
Even loving siblings need supervision around a newborn. Toddlers especially can accidentally hurt a baby without meaning to. I include siblings, because family photos are about the whole family, but I do it with close attention and a lot of care.
Questions to Ask Any Newborn Photographer Before You Book
You are allowed to ask these, and a good photographer will be glad you did.
About the Session
What is your process, and how should I prepare?
What happens if my baby is fussy?
Will I be asked to keep baby awake or overfeed them before the session? (If the answer is yes, I'd think twice.)
About Safety and Training
What safety training have you had, and what specific newborn safety classes have you taken?
How do you create your poses? Are any of them composites?
Do you ever leave a baby unattended on a raised surface or prop?
Will I be in the room the entire time? (The answer should always be yes.)
About Health
How do you clean and sanitize your equipment and props?
What is your sick policy?
Are you up to date on vaccinations, and will you wash your hands before touching my baby?
Would you be comfortable wearing a mask if I asked?
Trust Your Gut
If you ask a photographer about safety and you get defensiveness or resistance, I would go somewhere else. A photographer who cares about your baby will welcome your questions. And, if anyone ever asks you to leave your newborn alone with them for any reason, the answer is no.
You deserve photos you'll treasure and a session where you feel calm, heard, and confident the whole time. If you’re looking for a newborn photographer in the Abilene area who will guide you gently through all of it, I’d love to hear from you.
About Mandy
Hi, I’m Mandy, the photographer behind Sage & Bloom in Abilene, Texas. I’m an attachment style mom of three, CPR certified, and I’ve been photographing newborns and families since 2020. I photograph newborns, families, and fine art school portraits on location across the Big Country. My style is true to life, baby-led, and always guided with care. .
If you’re expecting or have a new little one, I’d love to meet your family.
