Professional newborn photos now available at local hospitals
WATERLOO, Iowa — Sara Stearns has seen plenty of “those” first baby pictures.
You know the ones where the 24-hour-old baby is placed on a patterned nursery blanket and someone snaps a quick picture. But when her first child, Logan Deike, was born last Monday, the new Wellsburg mother left Allen Hospital with a CD full of portraits shot in her private labor and delivery room.
“I’d heard they did this from other friends, and I was kind of excited to see for myself,” she said. “I probably wouldn’t have done newborn pictures so this is just a fun little extra.”
Allen was the first hospital to sign on with Charley’s Angels more than two years ago. Covenant Medical Center began offering the same service about 18 months ago. The company, started by Charles Amsbary and Vance Erwin, contracts with photographers in six states to “bring newborn hospital photography up to a professional standard.”
“We were the first for Charley’s Angels. We thought it was innovative, and when we learned more about it we knew it was something that our patients wanted,” said Theresa Pagel, Allen Birthing Center’s nurse manager. “It was so convenient for them to not have to make an appointment for photos and take the baby out after they left the hospital.”
Emily Wilson is a contract photographer for Charley’s Angels. She traditionally works at Covenant, but was covering at Allen last week while the other photographers were on vacation. On a typical day she comes in, meets with new mothers, explains the services — all photo sessions are free with no obligation to buy any prints — and schedules photo sessions for later that morning.
When new parents opt to use the service Wilson will roll her portable studio into their hospital room and spend about one hour photographing the baby on a variety of backdrops and with any props or people the parents choose.
She takes the pictures back to the nursery where they are uploaded, edited and burned to a disc for the parents to view.
“It’s great. I get to play with babies all morning,” she said. “When anyone asks how I like my job, I tell them it’s like getting paid to do a hobby.”
Suzanne Bellinger, a Covenant clinical nurse specialist, said she likes that parents can personalize and choose the pictures they want.
“It’s not just the basic head shot picture that is the same as every other baby,” she said. “It’s basically a full photo shoot in the patient’s room. Everyone who has had the pictures done has loved them. I know several of our nurses have had babies and they have all ordered and been very happy with the pictures they’ve gotten.”
Written & published by the Waterloo Courier.
http://wcfcourier.com/lifestyles/article_e563c7d9-b162-560b-be84-cdad41860ab7.html
