Posing Guide for Hospitals

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Suggested Poses By Sandy Puc’ – Photographer & NILMDTS Co-Founder

Although our goal is that no family in need of our services will go unserved, as an all volunteer organization, we unfortunately cannot guarantee that a photographer will be available to help every family. Occasionally one of our volunteer photographers may not be available to take photographs. What can you, the medical professional do in this situation? •

Contact a NILMDTS affiliated photographer IMMEDIATELY as soon as find out that your institution may have a loss, before presenting NILMDTS to your family. This will allow us more time to find a photographer for your family.

If a photographer is still unavailable here are some suggestions: •

Can the photographer help the family later in the evening or even the next day? Maybe the funeral home?

•

Does your institution have a digital camera? Start taking photographs - and take a lot. We have included a posing guide in this document.

•

Contact NILMDTS headquarters for retouch services. NILMDTS has an account with BOX.NET that you can upload your images to. A retouch artist will then send you the completed images on a disc for your families.

NILMDTS has also implemented training seminars. If you or your staff have an interest in attending a training, or holding a training for your staff only, please contact [email protected]. Also consider asking a NILMDTS affiliated photographer for an inservice training with your medical staff by contacting your local Area Coordinator. We hope that the suggestions here have helped. We are always looking for better ways to serve the families that need our services. We would appreciate any feed back or ideas. Send your inquiries to [email protected]. Eight Suggested NILMDTS Poses 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Baby alone Mom and baby Dad and baby Parents together with baby Siblings with baby Entire family with baby Extended family with baby Support items in the room

The eight suggested poses list is merely an ideal “wish” list; rarely will you find a scenario where each of the items above can be checked off and accomplished. We have examples from photographers Sandy Puc’ and Helen Noakes on the following pages:

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1. Baby alone:

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2. Mom and baby:

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3. Dad and baby:

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4. Parents together with baby:

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5. Siblings with baby

6. Entire family with baby

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7. Extended family with baby:

8. Support items in the room You will also encounter situations where even shooting baby can be challenging, so accomplishing #1 on the list will barely be possible. In those cases, you will move from the images you can get of baby alone, to item #8, support items. Whether these “support” items will be complimentary to the beautiful images you captured or due to the baby’s condition – the “bulk” of the images you capture, it is important to remember that many of these little things in the room will help tell your story.

At the end of every session I look around the room for things that will help create a complete memory of the day’s event. Parents are often times in such shock that they cannot even remember the obvious things. Capturing the complete story will help them deal with the grief and better connect them with the experience.

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Things to Look For as “Support” Items BABY CLOTHING: These items may not be on the child anymore. In fact, they may not have ever been put on baby. Often times, in a late 3rd trimester loss, mom has her hospital bag packed with baby’s first outfit. They arrive for their 38 or 39 week ultrasound, and are told there is no heartbeat. They are often rushed to the hospital for an immediate induction or c-section. In these cases, the parents have their baby’s outfit with them, but as described, it does not make it on the child. You may ask, “Is there an outfit you brought to put baby (name) in that I can take a photograph of? Or would you like me to see if the nurse can help us put it on (name)?” If it is not possible to put the baby back in the outfit I will at least photograph the outfit alone. Be aware that there may be bloodstains from the baby. I still feel it is important to document the outfit, as the parents will be taking it home. Many hospitals will provide booties, hats and baby clothes if the parents arrived in an emergency scenario without any clothes for their baby. If the child is put into the outfit, after the parents have had time with their child (up to 24hrs) the baby is often put in a hospital gown and the outfit is returned to the parents. RELIGIOUS ITEMS: Many hospitals will provide the parents with a rosary, a cross, a bible, a prayer stone, a scripture reference book, scripture cards, etc. In addition, hospital clergy or their personal pastor or rabbi may have visited the parents. The child may have been blessed or baptized and there will be a certificate with this information available. These mementos are usually an indication of the parent’s faith and are a very important part of the story. Suffering such a tragedy brings many closer to their faith than they have ever been before. It is important to add this detail to your collection of work. FLOWERS/GIFTS: Look around the room for any items that will help soften the images. Flowers, baby blankets, booties and stuffed animals are appropriate. PARENTS WEDDING RINGS: I will often ask the parents if they can remove their wedding bands and we will place them in the child’s hands or hang them on their toes. This is a great way to show the size of the child in proportion to items that we have innate knowledge of their size. It is hard for parents to remember just how small their child was. Having a familiar object in the images to provides “scale” for those viewing the pictures. I once had a mother with tears in her eyes tell me that although she loves every image that we created her favorite is the rings on her sons toes. She told me that every day she twists her wedding band and it reminds her of her tiny little boy.

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HOSPITAL MEMORABILIA: Try and photograph all of the paper work that is on or near the bed. Examples include: •

Birth or death certificates

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Mom and baby’s hospital ID wristbands

•

Little hand and foot prints

ROOM NOTIFICATION: In some hospitals that you work in, it is standard operating procedure to put a special symbol on the door of the deceased baby. This lets the nursing staff know the situation alerting visitors. We always include this image as well.

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Photo Retouch Process IMPORTANT NOTES 1. Before sending images, back them up on your personal computer and create a CD of them for your records. Just in case. 2. Regardless of how you submit the images, please email Headquarters at [email protected] to let us know when and how you delivered the images for us to retouch. 3. You will receive the NILMDTS standard gift of a CD of copyright free, professionally retouched images typically within 4-6 weeks of sending the images to us. First, we will need you to submit a few things: 1. All images MUST be submitted in a high resolution form. • If they are not in high resolution, you can scan them in as high resolution at a print shop (i.e. Kinko’s). If there is an Area Coordinator in your area you can also contact them to see if they could help you. We do not have coordinators in all areas. • To find an Area Coordinator, use our “Find a Photographer” search on our web site, use your zip code to search. The names that appear in RED are the Area Coordinators. Our search page is located here: www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/locate_photographer/ 2. All retouch requests MUST submit the NILMDTS consent form. • The form is attached to this letter. Also, it is available for download here: http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/files/Parent%20Consent%2005-2010.pdf o Please fill out all of your information (print clearly), and sign the form where indicated. Second, you can submit your images and consent form in three ways: 1. Via www.yousendit.com, a website that will deliver larger files for free. • First, copy all of your digital images to a folder and zip/compress it. • Upload the zipped/compressed folder to yoursendit.com and email it to [email protected]. Remember to include your consent form. 2. Via our secure server on box.net • Go to our server at: https://www.box.net/drop/NILMDTSupload/e996531b9d • Create a new folder. Title it with the Baby’s name, birthdate and hospital • Upload your images to the file. You must email [email protected] so that we may alert the retouch artists of their location. 3. Mail a CD of the images to our office • Create a CD of images. Make sure you have them backed up on your computer before mailing them. Include the consent form when mailing. • Mail them to: NILMDTS, 2305 E. Arapahoe Rd. #220, Centennial, CO 80122 Questions? Please email [email protected].

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CONSENT, AUTHORIZATION AND RELEASE I, as a Parent, have contacted Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS), a non-profit organization, to provide me with a keepsake of my child(ren). I understand this is a gift, and will accept it as such. I/We agree to or represent the following: 1. Hospital. I understand that the Hospital is not affiliated with either the Photographer or NILMDTS. 2. Authorization to Photograph. I represent that I am the parent or legal guardian of my child(ren) set forth below, have the authority to enter into this agreement, and authorize the Photographer to photograph my child(ren). 3. Parent’s Use of Negatives/Photographs. I understand that the Photographer grants me permission for “Personal Usage” of the negatives (digital, hard copy or any other format) in perpetuity. Personal Usage shall mean any use that is of a personal, non-commercial, and not for profit. 4. Photographer’s Use Permitted. I permit the negatives, digital images, and photographs of my child(ren) to be used by NILMDTS and the photographer for educational purposes on the NILMDTS Discussion Forum or for official NILMDTS use and training. This permission does not include personal or commercial use by the photographer on websites, blogs, competitions, social networks, etc. OR 5. Photographer’s Use Not Permitted. I do NOT permit the negatives, digital images or photographs to be used by NILMDTS or the photographer for educational purposes or use on the NILMDTS Discussion Forum. 6. Viewing. I request that the images be made available for viewing on a secure Online Viewing Service. 7. File. I understand that this form will be maintained by NILMDTS at its headquarters. 8. Release. I release and forever discharge NILMDTS, the Photographer, the Hospital and their agents, employees, officers, directors, and representatives from all past, present, or future claims, actions, causes of action, damages, cost, and expenses that in any way grow out of, or are related to, the taking of photographs and the matters described herein. 9. Indemnification. If any person not signing this form brings a claim against NILMDTS or the Photographer that is related to the photography of my child(ren), I will indemnify and hold NILMDTS and the photographer harmless from any damages incurred as a result of those claims.

Initial _____ Initial _____

Initial _____

Initial ______ (Initial #4 or #5)

Initial ______

Initial ______ Initial ______ Initial ______

Initial ______

HOSPITAL: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ PARENT INFORMATION: Child(ren): _______________________________________________________________________ Print Name(s) of Child(ren)

Date of Birth

Parent Signature: __________________________________ Printed Name: __________________________________ Relationship: __________________________________ Address: _________________________________________ __________________________________________ City

State

Date: ____________ _________________

Parent Signature: __________________________________ Printed Name: __________________________________ Relationship: __________________________________ Address: _________________________________________ __________________________________________

Zip Code

City

State

Zip Code

Phone: (Home) ______________________ (Work) ______________________ (Cell) ______________________ Email: _______________________________

Phone (Home) _______________________ (Work) _______________________ (Cell) _______________________ Email: ________________________________

PHOTOGRAPHER INFORMATION (Required): Printed Name: ________________________________________ Signature: ___________________________________________ Phones: (Cell) ________________________________ _______

Date: ______________________________ Email: _____________________________ (Studio) ____________________________

PLEASE LEAVE A COPY WITH THE FAMILY. Upload a copy when you log your session at www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/account/ AND a copy TO: [email protected] or FAX: 720-283-8998

NILMDTS Discussion Forum for families: www.nowisleep.com NILMDTS Headquarters www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org 2305 E. Arapahoe Road, Suite #220, Centennial, CO 80122 office: 720-283-3339 * fax: 720-283-8998 * email: [email protected]

Version – 9/2009

CONSENTIMIENTO Y AUTORIZACION Yo, como padre, he contactado a Now I Lay me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS), una organización sin fines de lucro, para proveerme con un recuerdo de mi niño(a). Entiendo que es un regalo y lo acepto como tal. Yo/nosotros estamos de acuerdo con o representamos lo siguiente:

10. Hospital. Entiendo que el Hospital no tiene afiliación con el fotógrafo o NILMDTS. 11. Autorización para fotografiar. Yo represento que soy padre o guardián legal de my hijo(a) como descrito abajo, y tengo la autoridad de entrar en este acuerdo, y autorizo al Fotógrafo a tomar fotos de my hijo(a). 12. Uso de los Padres de las imágenes digitales/fotos. Entiendo que el Fotógrafo me otorga permiso para “Uso Personal” de los negativos (en forma digital, copia dura, o cualquier otro formato) a perpetuidad. Se entiende que el uso personal es cualquier uso que es personal, no comercial, y no para lucro. 13. Permito al Fotógrafo Usar los Negativos. Yo permito que NILMDTS y el Fotógrafo utilicen los negativos, imágenes digitales, y fotografías de mi niño(a) para usos educativos en el Foro de Discusión NILMDTS y para uso oficial y entrenamiento de NILMDTS. Este permiso no incluye uso personal o comercial de parte del Fotógrafo en sitios web, competencias, redes sociales, etc. O 14. No permito al Fotógrafo Usar los Negativos. Yo NO permito que NILMDTS y/o el Fotógrafo utilicen los negativos, imágenes digitales, y fotografías de mi niño(a) para usos educativos en el Foro de Discusión NILMDTS y para uso oficial y entrenamiento de NILMDTS. 15. Viendo sus imágenes en el internet. Yo pido que las imágenes se hagan disponible para ver en un servicio de internet de acceso restringido. 16. Archivo. Yo entiendo que este documento se mantendrá con NILMDTS en la sede. 17. Liberación de Responsabilidades. Yo libero y para siempre descargo a NILMDTS, el fotógrafo, el Hospital y sus agentes, empleados, oficiales, directores, y representantes de todos reclamos, acciones, causas de acción, daños, costos, y gastos que de forma cualquiera salgan de, o sean relacionados a, la toma de fotografías y la materia descrita aquí en el pasado presente, o en el futuro. 18. Indemnización. Si alguna persona que no haya firmado este documento trae un reclamo relacionado a la toma de fotografías de mi niño(a) contra NILMDTS o el fotógrafo(a), yo indemnizare y mantendré a NILMDTS y el/la fotógrafo(a) sin culpa de daños incurridos por esos reclamos.

Inicial ______ Inicial ______

Inicial ______

Inicial ______ (#4 o #5)

Inicial ______

Inicial ______ Inicial ______ Inicial ______

Inicial ______

HOSPITAL: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ INFORMACION DE LOS PADRES: Niño(a): _______________________________________________________________________ Imprima el nombre (los nombres) de su(s) niño(s)

Firma de padre: __________________________________ Nombre deletreado: ________________________________ Relación: _________________________________________ Dirección: _________________________________________ __________________________________________ Ciudad

Estado

Código Postal

Teléfono: (Casa) ______________________ (Trabajo)______________________ (Celular)______________________ Correo electrónico: ___________________________

Fecha: ___________ _________________ Fecha de nacimiento

Firma de padre: __________________________________ Nombre deletreado:________________________________ Relación: __________________________________________ Dirección: _________________________________________ __________________________________________ Ciudad

Estado

Código Postal

Telefono: (Casa) _______________________ (Trabajo) _______________________ (Celular) _______________________ Correo electrónico: ________________________________

INFORMACION DEL FOTOGRAFO (Requerida): Nombre deletreado: ________________________________________ Fecha: ______________________________ Firma: ___________________________________________ Correo electrónico: _____________________________ Teléfonos: (Celular) ________________________________ (Estudio) ____________________________ PLEASE LEAVE A COPY WITH THE FAMILY. Upload a copy when you log your session at www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/account/ AND a copy TO: [email protected] or FAX: 720-283-8998 Foro NILMDTS de Discusión para familias: www.nowisleep.com NILMDTS Headquarters www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org 2305 E. Arapahoe Road, Suite #220, Centennial, CO 80122 office: 720-283-3339 * fax: 720-283-8998 * email: [email protected]

Versión – 9/2009