How far would you go to get the perfect photo? 

This was the question posed by The Sydney Morning Herald this week, in an article that discussed how far tourists go and how often they risk their lives for the perfect holiday snap.

While some do daring things like position themselves on edges of sandstone blocks or over rocks - jumping for joy on top of walls or cliff faces to make it look like they are on the edge of the world - others lost their lives being swept out to sea or falling.

It’s possible to get amazing shots without going to such lengths and without endangering your life, but it seems like when in front of the camera capturing THE shot, perfection is put before safety.

And this got me thinking: what about babies? Do we strive for the same perfection when we put our newborns or toddlers in front of the lens for those cute, almost-profesh-looking Insta snaps?

As we try to upstage other Insta-mums, do we push amateur newborn photography too far? And what does too far look like for bubs?

Obviously we are not positioning them on the edge of cliffs or draped over sacred monuments (and if you are, maybe you should stop!), but there are some no-nos for amateurs - just like there are for those who push the photo boundaries when on holiday.

So before you take that next monthly milestone shot on your new iPhone for your Facebook friends, I’ve gone far and wide to debunk the dos and don’ts for you…

Your Baby Isn’t A Prop

Your baby isn’t in a photo to show off your awesome arranging skills. Your baby is the subject of your photo and everything needs to be arranged around him or her - not the other way around. Safe props - such as blankets, their favourite soft toy or even the family pooch - are just there to enhance the softness and up the cuteness factor while you snap bub at his or her natural best. 

Manipulating bub like you would a soft toy or piling too many things around them could put bub in an unsafe or precarious position. If bub is visibly uncomfortable in any way, stop and choose a more natural pose with less things to get in bub’s way. Sometimes less is more, and they are the real reason you are capturing the photo - let them be the hero!

Your Baby Needs To Be Comfortable

Above all, no photo is worth threatening bub’s health. Avoid sitting them in a position that gives them poor circulation, makes them fuss excessively, or makes them too hot or cold. Similarly, holding out on a feed in the hopes of snapping the perfect shot will not work either. Bub has to be 100 per cent chill with what you’re doing for it to be okay. 

Like the holidaymakers taking daring shots, they know their limit and are able to only go as far as they want (sometimes too far!). Bub knows his or her limit too and will try to express that as best they can, but then you have to listen and adjust accordingly - because they can’t.

And besides, if you take the time to feed (but not overfeed), a happy, milk-drunk bub will be like photographic putty in your hands! Comfy bub = great snaps.

Your Baby Is Delicate

The old adage is that babies can bounce, and while that may be true for toddlers (to a certain extent…), for newborns there is definitely some things they cannot do. Remember when taking photos, their neck cannot support their head yet so don’t place them in poses they cannot sustain or may threaten their neck, head or breathing. Also, don’t capitalise on their flexibility. 

Instead, the recommended poses, according to nurses, are ones that replicate natural sleeping or cuddling positions, or positions they have been used to in the womb. And make sure these positions are backed up by tons of support, such as on a bed or other sturdy and soft surface - or even in someone’s arms!

Your Baby Needs To Be Safe

The equivalent of you standing on a cliff in a holiday snap for your baby is positioning them on props or surfaces they could easily fall off or become strained on.

All the rules of baby safety apply when taking photos. If you are behind the camera and cannot catch them or stop them from rolling, don’t use the surface you have put them on or get help. Don’t have anything around that you don’t want in their mouth or could smother them, and make sure that the seconds it takes you to capture the moment doesn’t end in disaster. 

Baby being comfortable ties in to them being safe as well. If baby is telling you he or she isn’t okay, chances are it’s because they’re really not. So make sure baby is happy and comfy, and perceive any hazards before they occur.

So remember, before you snap: baby is the centre of attention, not a prop. They need to be comfortable and warm. They can break easily so position with care and be safe when choosing your snapping location.

Now go and take the best Insta-worthy photos of your bub your friends have ever seen!

Okay, so now you know the hazards, but what about taking the BEST photos ever? Check out our how-to guide on photographing baby.

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