Should I use a Birth Photographer for my Birth

Birth photography is a relatively new aspect to birth, but it is definitely a growing aspect of birth, especially in natural and home births. As midwives, the topic of birth photographers can be a tricky one with two clear thought processes.

On the one hand, we love birth photographs because we are in constant awe of how incredible and empowering birth is. Having a collection of beautiful photos to look back on and remember the incredible process of each birth is important. If photos are done well, they capture the emotion of the moment and it can tell the whole story in just one image.  As midwives we are also not scared of what some would call graphic images because again birth to us is beautiful. Once all the emotions from the birth have settled, its always a special moment to look back through your photos and remember what you achieved, especially for the mom, who sometimes because of the hormones released in birth, could have forgotten the special moments in the birthing process.

On the other hand, we are also believers in birth being a primal event in a couple’s life and birth is not a showcase. We are firm believers of too many people in the birth room has a direct effect on the length and difficulty of that birth. Birth is supposed to take place in a dark, warm room with few people interfering and watching the process. If you are interested in capturing your birth, we believe it is critical to use a professional photographer who has experience in birthing photography.  

When choosing a photographer, we recommend you take the following into consideration:  

Be Comfortable with your Photographer

Make sure that you are comfortable with the person you have chosen to take pictures at your birth. Remember birth is a very personal experience and you need to be comfortable with whoever is in the room with you. Take the time to meet the photographer and gather feedback from other families who have used them.

They need to fit in

 Your birthing photographer should be someone who is willing to form “part of the furniture” in a lot of ways. When in labour and birthing, you should not even notice that the photographer is even present. They are merely witnesses. This is where employing a photographer with birthing experience is critical.

Birth is Unpredictable

It is very important to remember that birth is very unpredictable at times and you need to know what will happen when your birth goes down an unexpected path. Sometimes having a birth photographer can lead to expectations of the amazing pictures you going to get of this romantic and peaceful event in your life, but when birth gets hard and tough, the photographs may not be what you expected. Talking to an experienced photographer in birth will help you manage these expectations. They will understand your birthing plan but will also be able to guide you on how they manage the situation when the plan changes. We also recommend you maintain an open mind and allow the photographer to work their magic.

We have worked with many brilliant photographers, which have added to the whole experience and especially to the longstanding memories that they create. If you are comfortable with the person, the birth of your baby will be forever remembered in beautiful pictures covering every aspect of the process.

Our Birthing Photographer Recommendations

Here are a few photographers that we have worked with and still look back on their photos with joy in our hearts. They specialise in birthing photography with a lot of experience in this unique field, making them excellent options for your birth.

Natalie Gornall – Creationography

http://creationography.co.za

Natalie is a Doula and self-taught photographer. With her experience as a Doula in the birth process and her beautifully natural photographs, she is an excellent choice for your birthing photographer. She also does beautiful videos, one of which you can view below form one of our births.

Camilla Moller – Finding Light Photography

https://www.findinglightphotography.co.za

Camilla focuses on family photography from baby bump shoots, births and family portraits. Her personal approach to her shoots is commendable and she is great fun to work with. Thank you to Camilla from Finding Light Photography for the beautiful header image. 

Sam Schroder Photography

https://samschroder.co.za/

Sam is an excellent family photographer with a special gift for birthing shoots. She has a knack for creating exception images while maintaining a low profile during the birthing process which is very important for us.

Chanel Oosthuizen Photography 

https://www.chaneloosthuizen.com/

Chanel is a birth and lifestyle photographer. She is a firm believer in using natural light which is what we love about her photography. We also only focused on a select number of clients per month offering a very exclusive but highly personal birthing photography service.