Welcome! Chances are if you're here, you've either stumbled upon birth photography pages, you're wondering what it's all about, or are considering it for yourself! Either way, I'm so glad you're here. So grab a coffee, sit back and find some answers to the questions swirling around in your (and everyone else's) head!
What in the world is birth photography?
Birth photography is a documentary style approach to photography.
Labour & birth is anything but predictable, whether it's your first or your tenth delivery, you can't quite ever predict how it's going to go. The same can be said for birth photography, every album will be beautifully unique, what every album will have is photos telling your story, the story of love and family, of courage and power.
Some families want every moment captured from the beginning of their labour, to the baby crowning and then those first moments afterwards. Other families choose to skip some of the more graphic photos, the wonderful thing about birth photography is that you get to choose how your story is told!
You're on call. But what does that really mean?
It means just what you think! I am on stand by for you from 38 weeks until you deliver (date may be earlier for a history of preterm labour or multiples).
You message me at 3pm with an update? I'm excitedly chatting about your news! You text me at 8 am to let me know your water broke? I will eagerly cheer you on and start to prepare myself to head out at any moment. You call at 2 am to say it's time to go? I'm off to grab a coffee & will see you shortly! I am only a phone call or text away, 24/7.
What if my birth lasts hours or even days?
Then I'll be there, cheering you on, and capturing all the memories I can for you!
Once I've arrived at your delivery, I'm in it for the long haul with you. I'll be there whether it's for four hours or forty hours (however, on the 40 hour end, I may need to have a nap and squeeze a bathroom break or two in there), ensuring we are able to tell your whole story!
Will you be allowed to attend my birth?
Depending where you deliver, will impact the rules.
Home birth? No problem
Hospital birth? most hospitals have a 2 person policy for support people, so I do count as one of those people. As long as you've considered this and don't bring too many people - there should be no problem!
When do I call my birth photographer?
There is no amount of communication that is too much! I would prefer to hear from you for your false alarms, than possibly miss the real deal. If you've had any changes, I always encourage my clients to send me a quick update when they can.
Just like every birth is different, everyone labours differently too. I would ask clients to update me if they've had their bloody show, any type of contractions, if their water breaks/ are leaking fluid.
Once I've been updated I'll aim to keep in regular contact with you or your spouse. Ideally, I'm arriving when you're entering active labour so I can capture some images of you powering through those contractions with your support team!
What if I'm most comfortable labouring nude?
You labour exactly how you want to. Nudity comes with the territory, as long as you're comfortable being photographed nude, then I'm comfortable taking your pictures. If at any point you feel uncomfortable being photographed, we can reassess if you'd like to put on a bra etc, or would prefer I stop shooting.
This is your moment, however it looks.
What if I need a C-Section?
There are still so many images I can capture. If your C-Section is planned, you can always have a conversation with your care provider about me going into the OR with you. If they are willing to allow it, I am more than happy to join you. If they don't allow me to join, I can come capture you arriving and getting ready, then send my camera (with the settings already prepped) into the OR with your support person or a nurse, and capture those beautiful first moments after you're out of the OR.
If your C-Section is emergent, we will have likely had time to capture you labouring and being supported by your team. Again, I can send the camera into the OR and get those moments afterwards.
What if I don't want crowning shots?
Then we don't take crowning shots. This is all about telling your story, and empowering you.
If the idea of crowning shots makes you feel uneasy, we don't take them. I will position myself elsewhere for a different view of the moments when baby arrives!
It's entirely up to you just what moments we capture and what ones we leave out, and this is all covered before the day so that I know exactly what you want from your images!
Will you stick around for family shots?
Typically I'm going to stay for 2 hours after delivery. It's necessary to get those first moments on camera. The newborn assessment of baby, first latch, meeting mom & dad etc will all be captured during those two hours. If you'd like me to capture photos of your family members also meeting baby for the first time, I am happy to do so, but you should arrange for them to come within those first couple of hours!
This all sounds great, but WHY should I invest?
If you've ever had a baby before, you know just how hard it is to be aware of all the little moments happening around you, and how fast some of those memories blur together. Birth is a once in a lifetime moment, you don't get a do over. As time goes on, your memories that you cherished about this day, may start to get foggy. You might forget how your partner looked when they first saw your baby, you may not quite remember the sequence of events or who was in the room for what part of your labour. Through your photos, you can tell your story again and again.
It IS a beautiful story. It's a story of courage, love and new life. Through your photos you can see how strong you were, you can see all those tiny details, you can feel empowered all over again.
Babies change quickly. By the time newborn photos roll around, your baby's looks will have changed multiple times over, and that's only a matter of a week or two. Watching your kids grow up is such a beautiful gift, seeing where it all began, is so incredibly special.