EEK – Great News!!
I am just a little bit excited and very proud to announce that I have been successful in obtaining the Master Photographers Newborn Safety Certification. Newborn safety is a subject I am passionate about so I am delighted to be one of the first in Dumfries and Galloway to obtain this qualification. In fact I am one of only a handful of photographers in Scotland to have achieved this!!
Why did I want to set myself apart?
When I started photographing Newborn babies almost 7 years ago I was one of the first photographers in this area who specialised in portraits of babies only a few days old. Even at that early stage, before newborn photography was as common place as it is now, I knew that safe practice had to be my primary consideration so over the years I have trained with some of the UK’s and indeed the worlds leading newborn photographers. Despite having photographed hundreds of babies I decided a couple of years ago to invest in a “Stand in Baby” or as I call her ‘Starr’ to help me practice. This was particularly important for me when I purchased new props (here are some images of her in action…). ‘Starr’ is so patient with me while I work out where best to weigh props down, to position the stuffers that protects baby from hard edges and (the important bit for photography) where to position my light to create beautiful images that I can easily replicate with real babies.
The next natural stage for me was the Newborn Safety Certification. Working towards the certification meant me looking, in great detail, at all the aspects of a newborn portrait session, from the information I provide to parents beforehand to help them prepare for the session. All the things I do to set up, the temperature of the room, positioning my props and beanbag then through the actions I take during the session monitoring the room temperature, signs that baby is warm and settled even down to the clearing up process, including detailing the fact I use non-bio washing power and Dettol anti-bacterial laundry cleanser for all fabrics that have contact with baby. Its not until you do something like this that you realise how many things you do instinctively and don’t pay much attention to!! Once I had all these processes written down I then had to submit this in written form along with my professional insurance certificates and a gallery of images, including ones that are digital composites for safety reasons, to the Master Photographers Association where it was all judged by a highly trained panel of professional photographers.
So what does this mean for my clients?
As Newborn Photography is an unregulated industry and there is no requirement to be trained or insured I wanted to make it very obvious to anyone looking into having a newborn portrait session who you can trust to create beautiful images of your newborn baby. As a fully qualified member of the Master Photographers Association you can be assured that your tiny persons health and well being is at the forefront of everything I do, from ensuring the room is at a consistent temperature suitable for baby to providing water, tea or coffee to keep mummies and daddies hydrated.
Choosing a qualified professional photographer for your session is an assurance of quality and service!
If you would like more information about newborn portraits by Fiona McKean Photography please just drop me an email to fiona@fionamckean.com or if you would like to chat call me on 07540 349455.
Thanks Fiona x
Fiona McKean Photography LMPA LSWPP
MPA Scottish Region baby photographer 2018
Newborn, baby and family photography, Dumfries