Say No to the Hat. Celebrate Simplicity | Thoughts on Newborn Photography

 

Newborn babies. The powdery, milky smell. The tiny fingers and toes. The downy hair. They are nothing short of intoxicating. That’s why I (and so many of you) love to photograph them.

One of the most popular terms that we as an industry couple with newborn photography is the word– timeless.
As photographers we tout the ‘capture this moment, the purity of the new born child, they change so quickly…’ mantra, and we encourage prospective parents to ‘invest’ in professional photography of their freshly baked bundle of joy to forever capture those precious, fleeting early days.

 

So, riddle me this.

If a newborn child is so magical, so miraculous, so perfect in those first few days – why do we insist on decorating this little being in crazy hats, oversized accessories and housing her in all manner of cocoons and costumes? I’ve seen wee babies shoved into pea suits, wearing headwear larger than themselves and twisted into curly positions that not only look awkward but most likely felt it.

But today – I’m proud to start my own personal revolution. To tell – parents, think twice!
(And if on second thought you still love the hat, well, okay, go for it – but pause just long enough to say ‘why?’)

WHY am I dressing my delicious, tiny, magnificent baby in a stupid hat?
It’s not about myself as a photographer – it’s a friendly, cautionary word for every parent shopping for a newborn shooter anywhere in the world. It’s time we said ‘No’ to the crazy headband (and all the other aforementioned paraphernalia!).

 

That bright, overtly large frog-themed beanie? It’s cute.. For about three seconds.

Then about a year later I dare suggest parents might look back and question why they chose this path. Why they believed that a silly hat or zany outfit would improve on their own little slice of perfection.

Because, just like perms, mood rings, ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’ t-shirts and *gulp* babies in flower pots, some things are looked back with a little bit of a cringe…

There’s at least 18 years ahead to dress your child in silly-but-fun stuff – probably 6 of these where you can deck them out any which way without too much protest.

 

Fashion is fabulous. But when it comes to your newborn photography – let the beauty of your child sing in its purest most raw form. Celebrate simplicity.

Look for a photographer that captures the beauty of a baby, the emotions of a growing family and the authentic interactions that exist between parent and child. Because these are images that would truly be timeless. Just like we told you they would be.

That’s the style of photography you’ll want to treasure, to remember and to pass on in years to come.

 

You may just thank me for sharing this with you later.

Elise.

 

Elise Garner is a natural light photographer based in Sydney Australia. Her work approach is natural and fluid and she describes her style as ‘modern portraiture’. Real families, real people, real emotions. And not much else. https://www.lecoco.com.au/