MY JOURNEY AS AN ARTIST

I have always loved babies. I am a midwive’s daughter and grew up attending births at an early age and was in awe with their little cries, holding them, and caring for them. So pretty naturally I am drawn to photographing babies!

PLACE FOR POSING

A while back, I was blown away with posed newborn photography and couldn’t wait to try it out myself. I enrolled in a posed newborn course, got materials to make my own beanbag, posed my daughters baby doll learning how to wrap, what the best lighting was for setting up the beanbag, and how to sooth and safely position baby.

I quickly learned however, that posed newborn photography was not for me! It felt so uncomfortable and unnatural, and I was stressing over soothing and positioning babies, it was incredibly time consuming and exhausting. I never even made it around to making my own beanbag!!

BABY LED SESSION

Instead, I learned that baby led, natural positioning is for me! That means I don’t spend hours stressing to get baby to sleep or in the perfect pose. I actually don’t pose at all. WHY?

1. I believe babies shouldn’t be out of their parents arms. You have waited 9 long months to hold your baby. They are only this little for such a short time, you should snuggle them and hold them as much as you can! I capture your little one naturally in your arms almost your entire session. You are comfortable in your home, your baby is comfortable in your arms. It just makes sense to photograph you there and where babies should be, in my honest opinion.

2. I think babies are perfect just the way they are. When they are out of your arms, it is brief, they are comfortably and safely swaddled or lying freely unfolding their little limbs that have been so tightly weaved in the womb for months. It is so beautiful to watch them how they are, awake or asleep.

3. It truly makes your session stress free. I’m not stressing to get them in the perfect pose and you’re not stressing over them fussing and not falling asleep. Theres no need to place them away from you in uncomfortable positions that are unsafe, and not worth it even for the sake of a photograph.

4. I am able to capture intimate, natural moments of love and connection between all of you. It is so important for you to be in the photos too! You will want to remember what it was like to hold your little one in the palms of your hands, to feel them succumb sleepily into your chest. How your partner glanced at you, so in love with the amazing parent you have become. So often with posed newborn photography, you see the baby uncomfortably alone and I can’t help to think, but where’s mom and dad? Sure it’s cute, but do you really feel anything? Instead you will be able to instantly be brought back in time to relive these fleeting moments by looking back at your beautiful photos that you were in too.

So there you have it. My top four reasons why I don’t pose newborns. They are so perfect in your arms, in your home. You can check out more of my newborn work here if you are interested.

Warmly,

Hali