Is it possible to photograph a sleeping child? Is it possible to photograph small children?

Why can't you take pictures of sleeping people?

“Oh, how cute he looks in his sleep! We need to take a picture of him!”
As soon as she took out her camera, her husband immediately snatched it from his hands: “Don’t you know that you can’t take pictures of people sleeping?!”
How often there are moments when, seeing how cute a person looks while sleeping, your hand reaches out for the camera, but because of all sorts of superstitions you have to stop yourself.

Where did the belief come from?

Once upon a time, when several hundred years remained before the invention of the camera, the only way to capture a person was to draw him. Only wealthy people could afford the services of artists, and for the poorer population, ordering a painting was sometimes an unbearable burden. Therefore, they rarely used the services of artists. Most of the time this happened when I was dying. close person, and to capture what he looked like during his lifetime, an artist was called.
The deceased was dressed in ceremonial clothes, seated at the table with relatives, and if it was a child, then his favorite toy was placed in his hands. For greater realism, the eyelids were opened or the artist completed the eyes.
With the advent of the camera, post-mortem photography has become more accessible, but the association has already been firmly established: a person with his eyes closed is a post-mortem photograph. And in order not to bring trouble to the sleeping person, a belief arose not to photograph sleeping people.

More reasons why you should not photograph sleeping people

Besides superstition, there are several other reasons not to photograph sleeping people:

It is believed that during sleep the soul leaves the body and its energy field weakens. A person becomes vulnerable to evil spirits and magic. It is believed that it is dangerous to scream or scare a person during sleep; it is necessary that he wakes up gradually and the soul has time to return. Otherwise, the outcome may be sad: the person may remain a stutterer, or suffer a heart attack or stroke.
As for photographs, magicians claim that the photograph together with the person captures his energy field, and since it is weakened in a dream, it will be easier to cast a spell or curse on a person using such a photograph.
A photograph of a sleeping person sometimes looks unhygienic, since in a dream the person does not control himself. Would you like to have a photo of yourself drooling in your sleep or with your mouth open and your tongue hanging to one side? Most likely no.
It is forbidden to photograph a sleeping person due to the fact that at this moment the Guardian Angel may leave the sleeping person forever. (Religious belief)

Is it possible to photograph sleeping children?

If you don’t believe in superstitions and want to take a photograph of your baby sleeping, then, as practice shows, nothing bad will happen in this case. Although parents still prefer not to put such pictures on public display.
The only reason why it is better not to do this is that the baby may become very frightened, and in the future, because of every sharp sound, he will flinch, get nervous and scream.
Just imagine, your baby is sleeping soundly, and then you suddenly decide to immortalize this wonderful moment and take a photo as a keepsake, after which you wake up the child with a blinding flash and a loud sound of the camera shutter. Only a person with strong nerves can withstand this.

What are the advantages of photographing a sleeping person?

Here are some benefits of photographing a sleeping person:

The photo can turn out very funny, cute or unusual.
Such a photograph will not work when a person is awake.
This photo can be used as a gift or surprise.

Is it possible to somehow resist superstition?

There are two ways to resist superstitions: simply not to believe in them or “turn them around” in some way so that it turns out that the superstition seems to work, but in this particular case it will not work, for example, if you don’t show the photo to anyone.
To give yourself confidence that superstition does not work, you can watch, for example, American films with scenes where characters photograph each other sleeping and nothing happens to them.
In any case, the question of whether to believe that sleeping people cannot be photographed or not to believe is up to you to decide.

With the birth of a long-awaited baby, parents' attention focuses on the tiny creature. They strive to capture every significant event: the first step, the first trip to kindergarten and add it to the family archive. New mothers find their children especially cute in their dreams. Women strive to leave such wonderful moments in their memory forever. Modern technology provides this opportunity. Is it possible to photograph sleeping children? Let’s look at it in detail further.

Why not

There are a number of reasons why taking photographs of a sleeping newborn baby is not recommended. These factors can be classified as follows.

Customs and signs

In the 19th century, photographs became especially popular. There was a strange tradition that seemed quite creepy to modern man. A family member who had already died was captured in a photograph so that his memory would live on for centuries. The picture was created in such a way that it seemed that the person in it was simply fast asleep. It was placed in archives, and a whole “book of the dead” was formed from the collection of photographs.

Now this custom is terrifying. But gloomy photo albums still live in the memory of Europeans. Pictures of sleeping children and adults are very similar to the terrible “last pictures”, and people are hesitant to photograph sleeping people for fear of causing them to die quickly.

There are other mystical reasons why you should not take pictures of sleeping people:

they are afraid of the possibility of jinxing a person;
there is an opportunity to harm the health of the sleeping person, “steal” his strength;
you can scare away your guardian angel;
The soul, according to legend, leaves our world during sleep; if a person suddenly wakes up, it may not have time to return.

It is best not to take risks and not film sleeping children and adults.

Photographs and religion

What does the church say about this? Religious denominations are of the opinion that taking photographs of sleeping babies and adults is prohibited. You can scare away a person's guardian angel, which will entail a lot of trouble.

Muslims are particularly categorical on this issue. They believe that creating any image of people, no matter whether they are sleeping or awake, is a great sin. By portraying living beings, a person challenges Allah. This is why photography has not gained much popularity in eastern countries: Religious beliefs prohibit believers from such actions.

For this reason, in countries professing Islam, you will not find portraits of people or images of animals in art galleries. And when coming to other countries, Muslims avoid things with photos that contain living beings.

A person immersed in sleep is not always a beautiful sight. Taking a photo without his knowledge is, at a minimum, indecent - you can seriously offend the person being photographed. And in the USA, in response to this action, you can receive a subpoena. The country's legislation clearly states that in order to photograph someone, you must obtain permission.

But many mothers still wonder: is it possible to take at least one photo of a sleeping baby? After all, babies are especially beautiful during sleep. There is no direct ban on these actions in Russia, and most signs modern people of little interest.

To answer why you can’t photograph sleeping children, it’s worth considering the processes that occur during sleep. At night, the body produces a special hormone - melatonin, which is responsible for the internal regulation of the circadian rhythm. In other words, it is because of it that a person rests at night and stays awake during the day. Melatonin is produced only in the dark, and bright flashes from the camera can disrupt this process.

Children sleep especially lightly. And any careless movement can lead to a sudden awakening. The baby may be frightened by what is happening and even earn nervous breakdown, which does not pass without a trace. The child may become restless, have difficulty sleeping at night and be capricious during the day. A harmless attempt to keep a photo as a souvenir will turn into a real disaster. Therefore, before photographing sleeping children, you should carefully prepare:

remove in advance all objects that may interfere with filming;
put the recording device on silent mode;
Be as quiet as possible so as not to wake the baby.

Questions often arise: how to take a photo correctly and is it possible to photograph sleeping children with a flash? The quality of such photographs is of course better, but bright light can wake up the child, which means it’s better to sacrifice clarity and turn off this camera function.

Children grow up very quickly. And every moment that you manage to capture is priceless. Many years later, looking at a photograph of a sleeping baby, parents will be able to recreate in their memory a vivid image of the time when the child was just beginning to explore this world.

A camera is simply an irreplaceable thing these days! And in fact, it is this small device that helps us keep memories important points our life. And it doesn’t matter what exactly it’s about we're talking about: about a birthday, New Year or a simple photo shoot... However, in many cases, all sorts of superstitions are associated with photographs, and we will talk about one of them today. So, we have to find out why you can’t photograph sleeping children.

First of all, this is due to photography, which, according to magicians and sorcerers, stores great amount a variety of information about the person depicted on it. Moreover, some magicians can even see a person’s biofield in the picture! But what's wrong with that, you ask? It's simple - if the photo falls into the hands of, say, a sorcerer, it can seriously affect the fate and health of the child. That is why it is recommended to store photographs of any person, be it yourself or your child, as far as possible from prying eyes. Kids, by the way, are more susceptible to the evil eye, because it is weak not only physically, but also mentally. This primarily applies to newborns.

Another explanation for this prejudice dates back to ancient times. It turns out that our ancestors seriously believed that during sleep a person’s soul leaves him, so at these moments he is very vulnerable, especially to dark forces. There is even an opinion that if you try to abruptly wake a person at this time, the soul simply will not have time to return back to the body, which will lead to death... Cameras, meanwhile, can also wake a person, for example, with a strong flash or a loud click of the shutter. IN best case scenario he will be scared, and worst case scenario, he will remain a stutterer for the rest of his life. And if this happens at night, in the dark, then the heart may simply not be able to stand it...

There is a third, very strange explanation for this legend. Once upon a time, in ancient times, people often did not want to part with their deceased loved ones or relatives, so they decided on this: they dressed the deceased in elegant clothes and photographed them with loved ones. For example, they could have seated him at the dinner table. Of course, this did not make the deceased come to life, but in the photograph he seemed still alive. Since then, it has been generally accepted that the person sleeping in the photograph is very similar to a corpse, and therefore it is at least undesirable to photograph him.

And now the time comes for the most important question of our topic - is it worth believing in all these prejudices? Here every mother makes her own choice. Of course, there is a possibility that at least one of the versions we have given is true, but this is not known for certain. Meanwhile, many mothers don’t just take pictures of their baby sleeping - they arrange photo sessions for him, not really believing in superstitions...

The creative impulses of a photographer can be limited not only by his own imagination, but also by social and legislative norms.

There are many prohibitions on photography in museums, subways, theaters, cinemas, shops, restaurants and others in public places. But most of them are imaginary. and other countries of the world, read our material about government bans on photography.

However, many of the prohibitions are dictated not by law, but by human customs and prejudices. Every photographer must take into account that the people who fall into his lens may have their own cockroaches about photographing in different situations. Here we list the main signs, superstitions and prejudices that directly affect the work of a photographer.

Why can't you take pictures of sleeping people?

It is believed that you should not photograph people in their sleep because:

There is a superstition that photographs retain a person’s energy.It is believed that if a photo of a sleeping person falls into the hands of a psychic or a person with black magic, it can lead to the evil eye, illness or even death.
According to some religious beliefs, the soul leaves the body during sleep.At this time, a person becomes defenseless and vulnerable to otherworldly forces. These beliefs are based medical explanation. As you know, human sleep consists of phases of deep and shallow sleep. And if you wake him up sudden outbreak or clicking the camera at the wrong stage of sleep, this can greatly frighten him or even cause a heart attack.
There is a historical explanation for this prejudice.In the 19th century, when the first photographs first appeared, they were very expensive and took quite a long time to produce. Among the rich and famous there was a tradition of taking photographs of the deceased person as a keepsake - so-called post mortem photographs. The deceased was seated among the living, seated in a chair with a newspaper, or photographed lying in bed - that is, “sleeping.” The tradition of photographing the dead continued until the 60s of the twentieth century. Based on this, a sign was formed: taking photographs of a sleeping person leads to imminent death.
There are also ethical aspect this prejudice.The fact is that in a dream a person does not control his facial expressions, gestures and postures. It just might look bad in a photograph. This is why you should not take photographs of sleeping people unless they have given permission.

To reject superstitions or be at the mercy of prejudices is everyone’s business. But the photographer must respect the beliefs of his subjects.

Of course, most photos of supposedly sleeping people were not taken while they were asleep. If you want to shoot a scene with a sleeping person in the frame, simply recreate it with your model: ask him or her to take the necessary pose and close his eyes - in this case, you are guaranteed to get successful shots in which the model will look photogenic. Of course, if your task is not to put a person in a bad light for the sake of laughter or likes on social networks.

Why can't you photograph newborns?

Why not? Can! We even teach how to do this at a newborn photography workshop as part of our children's and family photography course. These are very valuable photographs for memory, because children grow so quickly!

But the older generation often has its own opinion on this matter. The fact is that many parents and grandparents are against filming newborns up to 40 days old.

What is the reason for the traditional ban on photographing newborns? Of course, with religious beliefs. In Christianity, this is associated with the rite of baptism. The fact is that a young mother cannot visit the temple for 40 days after giving birth, so it is recommended to baptize the baby immediately after this period has expired. It is believed that before baptism the baby is defenseless and vulnerable to evil forces, and after the baptism ceremony he finds his guardian angel. But in our time this is not so relevant, since children are not always baptized at birth: this ceremony is often postponed until 3 months, a year, 7 years, or even the child’s adulthood.

Newborn photographers believe that it is better to photograph babies in the first 10-14 days of life, when they are sound asleep and easily fit into various positions. You can shoot with natural light at home or with pulsed light in the studio. It all depends on the professionalism of the photographer, the wishes of the parents and individual characteristics child. If your baby winces during sleep from sharp sounds or changes in lighting, it is better to take photographs without flash, so as not to injure the baby. But if the child’s neurology is fine, then the baby can be photographed in his sleep without any restrictions.

Upload photos to open access or keeping them for family use is up to the parents. But to post photographs of babies in a portfolio and sell them on photo stocks, the photographer must have written permission from their parents.

Why can't you photograph children under one year old?

Professional children's photographers, of course, do not observe this ban, since it is rooted in the deep past. But there are several versions of the explanation why you should not photograph sleeping babies and older children who are awake:

1. Mysticism:It is believed that the child has not yet formed a biofield, which protects the baby from the influence of other people’s energy. Some people think that by photographing a child, you can steal his destiny or health. Superstitious fears are gradually receding in the face of modern photo trends, so it’s worth weighing all the risks: the mystical risk of depriving a child of his destiny or real risk deprive a child of his childhood photographs.

2. Medicine:Doctors do not recommend photographing small children with flash, as this can damage the retina and frighten the baby. If you value your child’s health and vision, master the technique of shooting without flash:

Shoot children's scenes on the street: for this there is enough light outside both in sunny and cloudy weather.
Turn off the flash when shooting indoorsby increasing the shutter speed and ISO. However, in this case, due to the long flash, moving children may turn out to be blurred, and if the photosensitivity is increased, the photo may be spoiled by digital noise. But if you don’t have high-quality photographic equipment, but you really want to capture a memorable moment, don’t miss this opportunity.
Use a fast lens for indoor photography. The 50 mm f/1.8 portrait lens is ideal for photographing children and their parents indoors.

True, the famous pediatrician Evgeny Komarovsky clearly says in his publications: “A child of any age can be photographed using a flash without any restrictions.” According to him, there is not one scientific research that the camera flash causes at least some harm to children's health.

3. Ethics: Some sites and social media prohibit the publication of photographs of naked children, as there are people with mental disorders who can use these photos for inhumane purposes or pour out negativity in the comments under the photo. The ban on naked butts on the Internet gave rise to a flash mob, in which parents posted online photos of their babies with a peach instead of a butt.

Many mothers on maternity leave complete photo projects. For example, Adele Enerson photographed her daughter Mila during nap, creating fabulous pictures using ordinary blankets, towels and tights. These photos were then issued in the form of calendars in different countries peace.

When Mila grew up, Adele gave birth to a son, Vincent, and based on his photo, she published the children's book “Vincent and the Night”:

If you decide to deprive your baby of childhood photographs, remember that you already took the first photo at the ultrasound.

Why can't you take pictures of pregnant women?

Photography is about capturing a moment. There used to be a superstition that you should not photograph or draw pregnant women, as this could stop the development of the child and lead to miscarriage. The sign was caused by the fact that previously they only painted or, moreover, photographed rich women who were not distinguished good health. Since medicine was poorly developed, pregnancies were often interrupted by miscarriage or even death of women. Now obstetric care in European countries is well established, so there is no longer any basis for such a prejudice.

On the contrary, photographing pregnant women is now a separate area of children's and family photography. Many women strive to photograph themselves while expecting a baby, so that later it will be easier to explain to the child where he came from. And preserving the magical moments of pregnancy as a souvenir is also worth a lot!

Why can't you take pictures in front of a mirror?

"How?! – you will be surprised. “How can it be impossible if half of the selfies were taken using a mirror?”

That's it, in modern world Only the lazy didn’t take pictures of himself in the mirror. All these elevator and toilet bows, it turns out, contradict superstitions.

Photos taken in the mirror rank second after the cemetery in terms of the number of silhouettes, ghosts, plasmoids and others captured. unexplained phenomena. Mirrors have a reflective surface in which light bends, giving unexpected effects, which photographers love so much. This is a real source of inspiration for many photography masters.

And if you dig deeper, then all the photographs taken on reflex camera, made precisely with the help of mirrors.

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Hello colleagues!

There is a belief among parents that, they say, children under a certain age should not be photographed. No one - not other people's photographers, not mom and dad themselves. This question, why you can’t photograph newborn children, periodically flashes on the Internet, I notice it. Well, we can talk about that too.

Most often, in my opinion, this issue is discussed on sites of an esoteric or some kind of occult orientation, and the reasons for the ban are explained almost by otherworldly forces. I will not discuss this so as not to offend anyone’s beliefs. I'll tell you about purely material things.

About lighting

This is the main thing to mention. And most importantly, when discussing whether it is possible to photograph newborns.

The main rule is that you cannot use flash! For a baby's eyes, a powerful pulse of light is an incredible load. Yes, some people do, I know. But as a photographer I will never take on such responsibility!

If you rent at home, if you were invited to some family, or you are parents yourself, then the best option there will be simple light from the window. You can always figure out how to dim the harsh light of the sun. Cover the window with a thin transparent fabric, for example. You can (and should) use reflectors. Ask an assistant to hold some white sheet on the shadow side; so that your model is between the window and the reflector. This will highlight deep shadows.

By the way, if you still shoot in bright direct sun, then the shadows will be deeper, and you can hardly use a reflector to highlight details in the shadows. A flash will be required, and this is exactly what should not be done! So if possible, direct sun indoors is best avoided, I think. In nature it's a different matter.

The main task is how to make the shutter speed shorter so that the pictures are not blurry. At least to values of 1/100, or better yet, even less. If it’s more, then you can’t vouch for the sharpness. When shooting indoors, there is usually always a lack of lighting, so you have to get out of it.

The simplest thing is to increase the sensitivity. Many people do just that without thinking too much. This is acceptable when you shoot “for yourself”, for your family album. But if you plan to upload these pictures to photo banks, then it is better to leave the sensitivity at a minimum in order to maintain quality.

Then there is an option to use high-aperture optics. A lens with an aperture ratio of 1.4 or even 1.2 can solve many problems with light. But such things are, to put it mildly, not cheap at all.

There is another option. Use constant light sources. I also strongly do not recommend halogen lamps - they get very hot, and your room will quickly become hot. And besides, they are unsafe. It is best, if possible, to use constant light studio lights! And this is already turning out to be a real photo shoot!

Then someone will tell me - it’s like dragging a whole photo studio with you! Well, that's the job! Either you, not giving a damn about everything, just puff a flashlight in the baby’s face, or you are a professional.

About fears

This is probably the second reason why many people believe that it is forbidden to photograph small children. A child may be afraid of someone else’s uncle with all sorts of strange things.

Well, here, as they say, it’s up to the parents. If you really need photographs, then mom and dad will try to persuade the baby to pose. Or introduce the child to the photographer in advance and schedule the shooting for the next day.

Someone will again say that it is not customary to show a child up to several months to strangers. I already talked about this - esoteric, occult, religious and others similar reasons, are not considered here.