You can call it a storkbite, salmon patch, or (my favorite nickname) an Angel kiss. These sweet words all describe a common type of harmless birthmark in newborn babies, a nevus simplex. They are common and become more apparent when baby is crying or hot. Most of the time they are relatively fleeting, with most disappearing by toddlerhood. Editing birthmarks in newborn photography can be a touchy subject – one that I ultimately leave up to parents to decide. When my clients see their images for the first time, they are in what I consider a “naturally edited” state. They have baby acne, flaky skin, and most redness removed, but I do not edit out birthmarks. I will soften them somewhat, as often they look much more noticeable in photographs due to the warm temperatures in my studio and the studio lighting I use. But I don’t make them go away completely.
If the parents wish for further editing to remove these birthmarks (or anything else they find distracting) I will happily do these extra edits at no extra charge.
Personally, I like them. They remind me of that short time my own baby boy had an angel kiss of his own – it looked like a W on his head. Like most babies, his has faded away and now all I have are photos that remind me of that fresh new pink little guy he used to be.
This little sweetheart is my most recent newborn client. She had a little angel kiss birthmark on her forehead and eyelid, as you can clearly see in the unedited image above. During the ordering appointment, mom and I discussed editing wishes. She decided that she loves the look of the natural edit, preserving that little birthmark for the future. I agree!
This session took place at the client’s home, which gives us a chance for beautiful natural lifestyle images, in addition to posed newborn pictures. In home sessions are definitely the easiest for new mommas! Leaving the house with a tiny baby can be tough! Of course, I do still have a dedicated studio area for newborn sessions if inviting me into your home isn’t your thing.
Either way – we’ll bet sure to get lots of great photos that will be treasured for years to come.
