Why Choose Birth Photography?
Why in the world would I want you to capture THAT?!?!”
This is often the response that I get when I tell people that I am a Birth Photographer. As a society, we have been conditioned to see birth as this chaotic event that starts with a pregnant person screaming, “My water just BROKE” and then doubling over in pain and rushing to the hospital with a litany of cuss words in tow.
Birth is so much more than that, and birth photography tells the story of a birth. Birth photography documents and encapsulates those emotions leading up to the birth, the actual birth, and welcoming that new human into the world. Whether your birth story is vaginal, c-section, hospital, home, VBAC, surrogate, or adoption, those moments should be captured.
The decision to hire a birth photographer is a personal decision. No one can make the right decision for you and your family, but you. Birth is raw; it is primal and can be one of the most intimate and vulnerable moments of your life. Finding the right person to invite into your birthing space can be overwhelming and daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.
Here are a few of my favorite reasons to hire a birth photographer:
A Birth Story is a visual journey; it tells the story of the day your baby was born. Your photos will allow you to preserve those important details and all you to see a visual timeline of your birthing process.
As the birth photographer, I know how to capture your birth story objectively. A trusted friend or family member may get swept up in the excitement of birth and may inadvertently forget to keep snapping. We should also address the elephant in the room, the infamous “shot” you know the graphic one that haunts your dreams when you think about birth photography? Well, having a professional birth photographer at your birth ensures that your desires to have the moment of birth captured are heard and honored.
Even if your partner is a photographer, having them take on the role of birth photographer leaves them out of the story, especially at the moment of birth. You may always remember the look in their eye when they met your baby for the first time, but how powerful would it be to have that moment forever frozen in time through a photograph? By hiring a birth photographer, your entire family is receiving the gift of being in the pictures and the story.
One of my favorite things about birthing professionals is that we are built for this work. Birthing can be a marathon, and I have trained for your birthing day through extensive education and hands-on birth work experience. I am here to support you and to serve as witness to your birth.
HERE’S A QUICK RUNDOWN OF MY PROCESS IF YOU CHOOSE TO HIRE ME. I WANT US TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND MAKE A MUTUAL DECISION TO WORK TOGETHER TO CAPTURE THIS SPECIAL DAY.
1. I will take the time to have a chat with you before booking. We will discuss some details in terms of your birthing location, but we will also discuss your birth plan/wishes. I want to understand from an energetic perspective what you want your photos to convey as you reflect on them for years to come. If we both agree that our energies are a good match, we will set-up a 2nd consult later in your pregnancy as a quick check-in.
2. Starting at 37 weeks, I am on-call for you 24/7. Don’t worry; I am not going to show up at crowing, snap a few photos, and dash out of the door! When your active birthing time arrives, and you invite me into your birth space, I will be there with you for the duration of your birth, no matter how long it lasts. I will capture active labor, delivery, and the first 2 hours of postpartum bonding.
In your search for a birth photographer, you may come across other photographers promising to be a fly on the wall during your birth. That is not my goal. My goal is to ensure that I discern your energy and adjust my actions based on that energy. I will be there as you journey through the labor process, capturing all of the emotions of that journey. Those hugs, smiles, laughs (yep people do laugh in labor, contrary to what movies will tell you), and even the tears. I have the honor to witness and capture so many firsts. Baby’s first breaths, that “I did it moment,” first measurements, first feeding, and so much more.
Birth photography is definitely an investment. You are hiring an experienced professional who will be on call for you (24/7) for weeks leading up to your birth. Your birth photographer will spring into action to be with you and document your birth regardless if it is 3:00 p.m. or a.m. Your birth photographer will be there to capture those big moments, but also those small intimate moments that will fade over time. She will gather each of those photos, edit them, knit them together, and present you with a beautiful tapestry that tells the story of the day your baby was born. Birth photography is worth it, I promise.