This year has definitely been one for the history books, for everyone. I don’t think there has been someone not affected in some way and small business owners most definitely are feeling the struggle, especially for photography.
Being a newborn and child photographer working mainly in my home studio which is small so not a whole lot of room for distancing but let’s face it, my line of work requires close contact and I communicate with every client before their session to make sure everyone is at 100% health.
The question on many parent’s minds though is how safe is it to have photos done right now? I can’t answer for anyone else, but let me put your worries to rest when working with me.
I work with children on a daily basis so my home is regularly open to whatever germs are floating around. That doesn’t sound reassuring does it? Well, let me explain.
Because of my day job and the possibilities it brings, I am a ridiculous cleaning machine all..day..long. Literally sweeping 2-3 times a day, mopping with bleach end of day. Doors, handles, walls, chairs, tables are all wiped down frequently. Even appliances and baby gates.
Photography aside, I am required to keep up with cleaning every day.
My studio door stays always closed and off limits during the day other than the napper in his playpen. When I have sessions booked on the weekend in the studio, I spend my Friday evening completely cleaning the studio top to bottom even though it’s not used during the week. The morning of a session, I do another wipe down and vacuum to make sure there are no flyaway hairs that have come under the door.
For newborn sessions, I have my clients wash their hands in the bathroom and then I do before we even bring the baby out of the car seat. During the sessions, I wear a mask and wash again during each break. I have gloves and will wear them if a parent asks. When clients arrive, they leave their shoes at the door.
As much as I want to, I don’t get too cuddly with the baby and it’s really hard not to snuggle them close. With older babies and toddlers, I would normally be very hands on and close to the children but I keep my distance and have mom do all the adjusting and handling of the baby.
After every session, items used are wiped down and all fabrics and wraps that were used are washed. The parent chairs are wiped down. The bathroom is cleaned even if it’s not used and all door handles are wiped down after my clients leave.
My 3 hour newborn sessions finish with 1-2 hours of cleaning, and then a nap because they’re exhausting!
I’m only doing 1 studio session in a 24 hour time frame to allow for proper cleaning in between each especially for newborns as I use most of my props and wraps for every session. Outdoor sessions are easy to keep distance although when I’m working with children it’s difficult not to really interact with them like I normally do.
I have a very strict policy with my dayhome right now for illness and am not allowing any symptoms whatsoever. So far, none of my dayhome children have had so much as a runny nose. It’s kind of funny actually, some parents are really surprised at how little their child has been sick since being in my care and that’s in general, covid aside.
For example, I’ve got a little boy going on 3 who started with me when he was 11 months old. He was in a daycare before me. He was initially 2 days a week there and when he started with me. There he was home sick more than he was in care when at the daycare. Since he’s been with me, he’s been out sick once with baby croup. He’s had the odd runny nose like kids get but he hasn’t even had that since his first year here.
I’ve had an older school aged child for almost 4 years who’s only been out of care for illness 2 or 3 times if even that much. I honestly can’t even remember it’s that infrequent.
In general, kids going into care for the first time after being home with mom usually get at least a cold within the first couple months. I’ve got a 16 month old who started in June and she hasn’t even had a sniffle.
I could go on but the point is, I keep my house so germ free that illness is not even a thing in my dayhome. Every parent says they can’t even remember the last time their child had a cold.
I’m actually dumbfounded at how often other dayhomes have constant colds and flus run through their homes on repeat. Clearly I’m doing something they aren’t. The saying goes kids get colds, never ending coughs and runny noses but here’s the thing, they don’t have to. What causes colds and flus? Germs and bacteria. What causes infections? Germs and bacteria. How do people contract them? By touching contaminated surfaces etc and coming into contact with others who are ill.
Here’s the thing, I don’t do sessions when I’m sick, I don’t work with clients when they are sick. I don’t take in children who are sick and I bust my behind every day to make sure that I don’t have to make that call.
In normal circumstances, I have a lengthy list of symptoms that require a minimum of 48-72 hours symptom free which is more than the typical 24 hours others have. I’ve seen kids down and out, given medication and the next day seem perfectly fine only to start throwing up later that night or the following day. To me, 24 hours isn’t enough to rule communicable illness out.
I stay home as much as possible, only go as far as the grocery store or to visit my parents. I normally buy groceries as I need them so I went out regularly. Just to get out of the house I would go to the store even if I don’t really need anything. Since the pandemic began, I have started shopping in bulk doing once a month shopping trips to minimize my exposure. I buy things I don’t need yet just so I don’t have to go out for it last minute.
We have enough pet food and litter to last the whole winter!
Before school started, I started taking emergen-c daily although I can’t seem to find it now, along with regular vitamins but I have also been taking echinacea and additional vitamin C every morning.
I don’t want to get sick because well no one likes being sick. If I get sick then I have to close my dayhome which will put out 4 families at once. I would have to postpone my sessions as well.
So there it is, if that helps to put your mind at ease whether or not it is safe to book a photography session and bring your little ones.
If you don’t feel comfortable given our current state, that is completely understandable and your session can always wait. If it’s a newborn, there’s really only so long that we can wait but if your baby’s safety is a big concern for you, we can work with whatever we need to at a later date. I will never turn away an older baby because they’re past my ideal time, I will just work with them as they are and we will achieve beautiful images anyway.
This virus is out there, the flu is out there, colds and other infections are out there. They’re out there all year round because germs and bacteria don’t take holidays. The only thing we can do is our best each and every day to protect ourselves and the ones around us and that includes open and honest communication.
In my dayhome, if someone lies about illness or medicates to hide symptoms, it’s grounds for immediate termination of care. I would never intentionally harm someone else by hiding illness and in my opinion doing so is intent to harm.
All of my dayhome parents know I do sessions in my home studio, mainly newborns. They all know I’m not only acting in the dayhome’s best interest but my photography clients as well. It’s not open for debate.
If you follow my social media or my website, you will know that newborn safety is my main focus. It doesn’t stop with newborns and it’s not just about the posing. I take my job seriously when it comes to the safety of my clients and that includes keeping everyone well.
You are in good hands here!
12 week old baby, not quite a "newborn" but still beautiful.
Sincerely,
Melony – your newborn, child and family photographer in Lethbridge and area
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