Huggies Diaper Commercial Photography

Photographing children is not something I enjoy. It stems from a brief experience I had as a student, working part-time at a baby photo studio. What I witnessed there left a lasting impression. Infants—some barely a year old—were photographed in rigid, formulaic ways. The entire process felt mechanical, and the results didn’t seem like cherished memories but rather commodified snapshots passing through a vending machine.

I believe photographing children—especially those at the very beginning of life—requires a certain reverence. There’s a gravity to the time they hold within them, to the potential of their future. That kind of subject deserves patience and sensitivity. Commercial photography, with its time constraints and budget limitations, often doesn’t allow for that. It’s a deeply conflicting combination, and one I instinctively try to avoid.

But this time, I couldn’t. I lacked both the courage and the room to refuse. And so, I took on a photo shoot for Huggies diapers. As expected, it wasn’t easy. Children, especially infants, don’t stay still. Setting up lights and keeping them within a beam angle felt nearly impossible. With toddlers around two years old, there’s at least a chance to communicate. But with those just turning one, I found myself just hoping they wouldn’t fall asleep mid-shoot.

Despite years of photographing many subjects, I still find working with babies unfamiliar. After just a few hours of shooting, it feels as if an entire day has passed. And when I look at the final images, the child often seems older than they actually are—perhaps a side effect of all that tension.

I’m still unsure where to place these images in my portfolio. While it was a meaningful experience in some ways, it was also emotionally taxing. It’s a category I approach with caution, even if I carry a bit of gratitude for what I learned through it.