My annual renewal for the Accredited Professional Newborn Photographers International was processed today and it reminded me why I initially joined the organization.
In case you weren’t aware, newborn photographers aren’t required to get a certification to become a newborn photographer. So, that means basically anyone with a camera who shoots photos of a newborn can technically call themselves a “newborn photographer”. This concept seemed a little insane to me once I realized it.
Personally, I went through MANY obstacles and education before I started referring to myself as a newborn photographer. You see, I was a photographer for many years. I started shooting photography at the University of Southern California in Film School back in 1996. I learned how to shoot on film!! But, once I decided I wanted to take on newborn clients that I knew I needed to be educated on how to do it.
I already two young kids of my own. I tried taking newborn photos of them when they were babies many times. And, even though I knew very well how to work with my camera and lighting, I still knew nothing about posing them.
Posing a newborn is an extremely delicate skill one must learn and carefully practice. I have studied with some of the best and most experienced newborn photographers today but I still wanted to set myself apart from the other self-proclaimed newborn photographers. Because newborn photography is THE MOST HANDS-ON type of photography there is! You don’t want just anyone handling your delicate baby.
This lead me to APNPI. It’s the first organization that I know of which recognized the need for newborn photographers to be trained in safety. It gave a place to become certified through their high standards and become accredited in quality workmanship. It’s an important organization which shows the general public which photographers have taken the extra steps to prove they know how to deal with a precious newborn.
So, the next time you are shopping around for a newborn photographer I encourage you to think… “Do I want just a safe photographer?” OR “Do I want THE SAFEST PHOTOGRAPHER” for my brand new baby?
And, if you’re a photographer yourself and want to work with newborn babies, please consider joining APNPI. It was created by newborn photographers FOR newborn photographers. You can distinguish yourself as a professional newborn photographer with internationally recognized and standardized APNPI Credentials.
