If you’re searching for a Charlotte newborn photographer who prioritizes safety, artistry, and meticulous editing, you’re in the right place.

At Carrie Howland Photography, I specialize in luxury, custom newborn portraiture for families in Charlotte, Lake Norman, Myers Park, Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Weddington, Waxhaw, Marvin, and surrounding areas. Today, I’m taking you behind the scenes of one of the most requested — and most misunderstood — newborn poses: the froggie pose.

At the bottom of this post, you’ll find a link to a full 30-minute video where I walk you through a start-to-finish edit of a newborn froggie composite, while also explaining how it is safely captured in-camera.  I share of all of my secrets and leave nothing to imagination.

The Froggie Pose: What Most Parents Don’t Know

The froggie pose is one of the most iconic newborn images — baby resting their chin on their hands with elbows propped and toes peeking out to the side.

What many people don’t realize is this:

The froggie pose is never captured in a single image.

It is always a composite.

That means:

• Baby’s head is supported at all times.

• Hands are supporting baby in each frame.

• Two (sometimes three) images are carefully merged in Photoshop.

• Safety is the top priority — always.

In the video below, I show exactly how I merge the images together and remove the supporting hands, creating a seamless, polished final portrait while maintaining complete safety during the session.

Newborn Safety Is Not Optional

I have photographed thousands of newborns throughout my career. Over the years, I’ve invested countless hours in hands-on training specifically focused on:

• Safe newborn posing

• Composite techniques

• Baby-led workflow

• Reading newborn body language

• Safe spotting and support

• Studio safety protocols

Poses like froggie require not only technical skill, but deep experience. A newborn’s neck strength, flexibility, circulation, and comfort must be constantly assessed. If a baby is not comfortable in a pose, we do not force it. Period.

This is where experience matters.

The Dangers of Hiring an Untrained Newborn Photographer

With the rise of “weekend photographers” and hobbyists offering low-cost newborn sessions, many parents don’t realize the risks.

Common mistakes untrained photographers make:

• Attempting froggie as a single exposure (very unsafe)

• Failing to properly support baby’s head and wrists

• Ignoring circulation issues

• Forcing a baby into a pose they are not naturally settling into

• Lack of composite knowledge

• Poor editing that leaves visible hand removal artifacts

Newborn photography is not just about owning a camera.

It requires:

• Specialized training

• Extensive experience

• Knowledge of newborn physiology

• Patience

• Advanced Photoshop compositing skills

• An unwavering commitment to safety

When you hire a luxury newborn photographer in Charlotte like Carrie Howland Photography, you are investing in someone who understands that your baby’s safety is more important than any image.