Untitled (naked baby lying on stomach on quilt, head up smiling) c. 1955

This photograph by Paul Gittings captures a naked baby lying on a quilt, their head raised in a smile. Although the date of this photograph is unknown, it's useful to consider how photography, particularly of children, has historically been entangled with notions of innocence, purity, and vulnerability. Consider the power dynamics at play when an adult captures the image of a child, particularly one so young and unclothed. What does it mean to view this intimate moment, preserved through the lens of the camera? In a society that often sexualizes and racializes bodies, how does our gaze shift when the subject is a baby? Does the child’s smile and apparent comfort challenge or reinforce traditional representations of innocence? This image invites us to reflect on our own assumptions about childhood, representation, and the complex interplay between the photographer, the subject, and the viewer.