Session Spotlight
This session was very special to me.
A surrogate mother contacted me to photograph the birth of this baby for the biological parents. The parents already had a 7 year old boy and they had lost another child and she couldn’t get pregnant again so they hired a surrogate mother. They had tried for years and just before they gave up on surrogacy, they received good news.
Written by: Heather Glude – Owner/Photographer of Itty Bitty Bug Photography
This article first appeared on the Itty Bitty Bug Photography blog.
The world’s first international newborn photography association, Accredited Professional Newborn Photographers International, has just certified Heather Glude of Itty Bitty Bug Photography in their second group of Qualified Newborn Photographers. Heather is honored to be selected to be part of this elite group of photographers dedicated to elevating the art of newborn photography. APNPI was founded to help clients discern the difference among photographers and build a comprehensive educational curriculum to continue to drive excellence in imagery and safety.
“When looking for a newborn photographer, there were so many choices, but skill level seemed to vary a lot, and I didn’t know how to assess their ability to work with newborns. I’m so glad I found Heather anyway, but something like this would have been so helpful!”
In today’s over-saturated market, parents are faced with an overwhelming amount of choice, but have few tools to determine who to trust with the most precious thing in the world – their newborn baby. APNPI’s certification program evaluates the quality of the photographer’s images, their business practices, and their knowledge of and dedication to newborn safety, giving parent’s peace of mind that their baby and their memories are in excellent hands. Jennifer Johnson, a new mom, explained, “When looking for a newborn photographer, there were so many choices, but skill level seemed to vary a lot, and I didn’t know how to assess their ability to work with newborns. I’m so glad I found Heather anyway, but something like this would have been so helpful!”
Newborn photography has been on the rise since the Anne Geddes calendars and books in the 90s. Today, it seems like everyone is booking a photographer to capture their babies’ first moments, and now there’s a photographer for everyone, whether you want documentary-style in your home, whimsical themes and costumes, or fine-art studio style. What has been missing is an organization to evaluate and ensure quality. Amy Kenny, a Snohomish mom, noted that a certificate like this would “make me feel assured that the photographer is well versed in working with newborns, who are so fragile and special.”
“make me feel assured that the photographer is well versed in working with newborns, who are so fragile and special.”
As part of the recognition process, Heather submitted images from dozens of recent sessions for evaluation by a panel of judges, who . Her clients agree with the judges’ assessment. “Heather was kind and patient with my newborn, and has a wonderful eye for composition not all photographers possess. She really listened to what I wanted, while also creating beautiful memories that will last a lifetime,” said Ms. Kenny.
Written by: Heather Clemente
It sounds like a rather massive task, finding your style! Well, in actuality, it really doesn’t have to be!
Finding your style begins with recognizing what draws you in to a photograph. There are many different elements, and so, deciphering those can be a good starting point. A few questions to ask yourself are:
Do you prefer broad or short lighting? Is it the creamy tones or heavily saturated tones that appeal to you most? Do you like to see a shallow or deep depth of field?
Another place to look is within your own personal portfolio. Here you can pick out certain re-occuring elements such as, the time of day your favourite photos have been taken. Is there a tonal range that is re-occuring in your images? Are the majority of your photos close up, or do they tend to include negative space?
See which of these elements are making the most impact on you and continue narrowing your focus there.
One of the most important steps in finding your style is to shoot everyday. Keep that list that you’ve spent plenty of time compiling in your mind when shooting. By doing so your style will simply start to emerge. You will likely be forced to use many different light sources, and will shoot at different times of day. This, in turn, will help you determine whether you like natural or artificial light, whether you prefer morning or evening light, and will also make you a master of your camera.
During this time I also encourage you to try new techniques. Fail at some, conquer others. Finding your true style doesn’t have to be a daunting task. If you stay true to yourself, and what draws you in, it is only a matter of time before it starts drawing others in too!
You may come to a completely different conclusion of what your style actually is after this journey, and that is okay. You may have started out posing your subjects and are now finding that you prefer movement in your images. Or maybe you previously loved those high key portraits and now enjoy a more moody, short lighting.
See, the beauty part is, your style can be anything you want it to be. Rather then finding inspiration from others, study your own body of work, learn what naturally guides you, be inspired by yourself. You became a photographer likely because you have a love of photography. Simply ask yourself this, what is it specifically that you love?
In the end I’m certain you will find that clear indicator of your style, and the artist within will simply shine through!
Written by: Marcela Limon
Earlier this year I learned about a photographers association called APNPI (Accredited Professional Newborn Photographers International). This association was created by talented and experienced newborn photographers – including Stephanie Robin (the queen of newborn safety) – with the purpose of making our industry better and safer.
As of today, newborn photography is not regulated at all and anyone with a camera and a basket can call themselves newborn photographers. The reality is that newborn babies are the most fragile human beings, and handling and posing them means there’s a lot of responsibility in our hands. Sadly, there are some photographers who don’t take newborn safety seriously. Newborn physiology, their reflexes and their inmune systems, newborn posing and image compositing (like the example to the right) should be part of every aspiring photographer’s learning agenda.
That’s where APNPI comes in. In an effort to educate newborn photographers in best practices and new parents in how to choose their photographer, this association is the new go-to place to find all the resources you need regarding your newborn photography session.
A few days back, I announced through a Facebook Live Video that I had passed my QNP (Qualified Newborn Photographer) application and that I am now a Certified Newborn Photographer through APNPI. This is a big deal! There are just 19 of us for now worldwide! Obtaining this Certification was not easy at all; it requires photographers to be licensed and insured; to prove that we know our lighting, composition and posing techniques; that we have been trained by experienced photographers; that we know how to pose a baby alone, with siblings and with parents; that we can work in different scenarios with consistency in style and that we have happy clients telling their friends about our services. For this I had to submit very detailed paperwork along with tons of images that showed my experience. It was an extensive application process! And I’m very proud to share with you this press release:
And as much as I’m in celebration mode right now, there’s still a lot to do next. I’ll continue working to get accreditations in different areas of photography, like maternity, posed newborn and macro. This will take time, but every challenge requires hard work, patience and perseverance. As I have said before, this association is not here to charge us a membership fee and give us a seal. We have to earn our professional levels. And that’s what I’ll do.
You, as a parent, can help in making the newborn photography industry better too. When looking for a newborn photographer, don’t settle for one that does not take it seriously. You might put your baby at risk without even knowing it! Ask your photographer about their business and their practices. He or she should have no problem in answering these questions (based on this APNPI’s blogpost):
You should invest enough time, thought and research when looking for your newborn photographer. Make sure you are giving your baby to someone that understands newborns and that will treat your little treasure with all the delicacy and respect that they deserve. If you want to find a Certified Newborn Photographer in your area, make sure to visit apnpi.com.
