Is flash photography safe for newborns? This is a question that weighs heavily on every parent’s mind. As your infant arrives kicking and screaming into the world, most parents want to capture the treasured memories as a memento of the life-changing event. Giving birth is often a very private and intimate moment, and the last thing you want snapping away is a baby photographer.
Gold Coast mums you can save the professional newborn photography for those first few weeks and still capture those tiny little newborn hands and feet. With the evolution of the smartphone, it’s simple to take a few photos of the birth yourself. Most digital cameras and smartphone cameras have auto flash, so it’s important to understand whether using flash photography can damage your baby’s eyes or is it just an old wives’ tale?
Will camera flashes damage my newborn’s eyes?
Whether flash photography is damaging to a newborn’s eyes has often been a hotly debated topic. A viral story of a baby going blind due to a family friend forgetting to turn off the flash while taking a close-up has been debunked by a number of sources.
Because I am always vigilant about making sure my baby photography sessions put the health and safety of your newborn first, I decided to do my own research into whether flash photography was safe for babies. One particular article referenced an interview with the Chief of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Ocular Genetics, Dr Alex Levin, where he suggested the contents of the Daily Mail’s article was incorrect. “Flashes are diffused light, so they’re harmless.”
The reason you squint when there is bright light is that your pupil automatically restricts the amount of light to protect it. However, baby pupils’ reactions aren’t well-developed enough in the first month to respond to this. That being said, most camera flashes are not bright enough to have any effect on eyesight. Dr Amos Grunebaum, director of clinical maternal-foetal medicine at the New York Hospital also weighed in on the topic of flash photography safety for newborns.
The flash of a camera is no brighter than actual daylight. It’s only because it is darker inside that the flash photography seems brighter than it actually is. “The only really harmful light condition you should help your baby avoid is direct and constant sunlight, so always make sure you point your baby’s face away from the sun,” he told BabyMed.com
As a baby photographer, having worked with numerous Gold Coast mums over the years, I’ve experimented with lots of different lighting. I’ve created a beautiful studio in Coomera which is flooded with lots of natural light, often bright enough to avoid using flash photography without throwing off the contrast and soft features I strive for.
There’s nothing more people love than scaremongering, so rest assured that when you’re working with me to capture those early moments of adorable newborn squishiness, the health, safety and wellbeing of your baby is my only priority. If, despite the evidence of flash photography being safe for newborns, you’re still worried, I’m happy to talk through any concerns you have.
Pre-Christmas sessions still available. Book your Gold Coast newborn photography appointment now, to avoid disappointment.
