CLEVELAND — For any new parent, you hope and pray your baby is born healthy. But one in every 10 newborn babies end up in the NICU.
That means for those parents, they aren't sharing newborn photos, they're sharing health updates. That is, unless they are lucky enough to meet local photographer Brittany Gidley, who is changing the way the world sees premies.
Gidley has a gift. It's one that she couldn't ignore when she was a NICU nurse. So she switched careers to become a photographer and now captures the best moments, the sweetest faces and a perfect childhood memory.
“What I've always loved the most about my job, whether it be a NICU nurse or now as a photographer, is watching families grow and being a part of that journey," she said.
But because of her previous job, she knows not every baby has the perfect start.
“When the layperson sees sick babies, they always say, 'Oh my gosh, how can you do this, and how can you endure that, and how could you see this day after day, all the heartache that comes with it?' But I never saw it that way," Gidley explained.
Brittany sees them as tiny miracles, more specifically, little superheroes who overcome unbelievable challenges.
“When JR Smith had his premie, Dakota, I was really able to shine a spotlight on what we do and how others can do it as well," she said.
Dakota was just the first baby Brittany transformed into a superhero, and it went worldwide.
The photo was so powerful, she knew she was onto something. After that, she created Batman, then Wolverine, each one, unforgettable.
“On our most recent trip to Rainbow [Babies and Children's Hospital], we had a baby so sick that she couldn't be touched. And the mom immediately started apologizing, saying that she can't be touched, she can't be held, she's too sick right now, and I told that mom, just wait until what I can make for you.”
That baby became Black Panther.
So far, Gidley has donated these photoshoots to six babies and hopes to make it 12 by the end of the year.
Brittany doesn't just give these parents those coveted newborn photos they were planning on. She gives them a reason to feel empowered.
“Often times, the feedback that parents are getting on these images are joy and hope, just like any other newborn," she said.