Reading the Baby Photo

Dean Rader, one of the authors of The World Is A Text, recently had a baby boy, at least his wife did. Suddenly obsessed with photographing his son, he also became aware of the rarely discussed genre of the "New Baby Photo."

Typically, the new baby photo tries to represent the new baby (and often the parents), in the most sympathetic, flattering light possible.

In an attempt to avoid the new baby photo cliches, Professor Rader is afraid he stumbled right into them.

What are your thoughts? Does this photo make an argument? If so, what?

And what about that kid's crazy mad scientist hair?