What is infant observation and how can it shed light on what clinicians learn, how, and what is valued? An account will be given of different experiences of how infant observation is made use of as a model for learning. Shining a light on various ways of seeing the infant - in the eyes of the mother, the observer, the other group participants, and the seminar leader- what can we learn? Can we clarify something about the elusive experience of infant observation and what it contributes to the development of a clinician? In what ways might this model be applied in research? And why do families participate? What if anything do the infants and their families gain? These questions will guide an exploration of infant observation in varied learning and teaching contexts for clinicians, starting with the ‘gold standard’ model and asking whether there may be value in the alternatives.