Birth Photography - a midwife & mothers perspective
Embarking on the journey to become a birth photographer is an incredibly rewarding and unique experience. As a mother and a midwife, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the miracle of birth from multiple perspectives, which has deeply enriched my approach to birth photography. Birth photography is NOT for everyone, and requires a lot of organisation, dedication and time on call. Here’s a glimpse into how you can start this incredible journey, drawing from my own experiences.
Embrace Your Unique Perspective
Your personal experiences are your greatest asset. If you are a mama yourself- you will understand the profound emotions and intimate moments that define the birthing process. My own experience as a midwife enables me to navigate the birth space confidently and with deep respect for all involved in the birth, understanding sterile areas, places to stand etc is a powerful tool to help with feeling more confident in the birth space.
Invest in the Right Equipment
To capture the raw beauty of birth, you’ll need reliable and high-quality equipment. Invest in a good camera with excellent low-light capabilities, as many birthing environments have dim lighting. A variety of lenses, particularly a fast prime lens, will help you capture different aspects of the birth story with clarity and detail. Flash in my opinion is not required, respecting the physiological requirements of birth is really important - using flash is completely up to your client. Birthing in dark rooms is productive and enhances the birthing flow!
Build Trust and Relationships
Birth is an intimate and personal experience. Building trust with the families you photograph is crucial. Take the time to get to know them before the birth. Understand their birth plan, their hopes, and their concerns. As a midwife I do not practice in this role during birth but my experience in this realm is so helpful as I am able to use these skills to help with caring for clients too- where that be helping with a shower post birth, or helping them find a good postpartum osteopath or doula!
Learn the Flow of Birth
Every birth is unique, but understanding the general flow can help you anticipate key moments. I would suggest doing a birth class! Sound weird? nope not at all! Attending a birth class will help you understand when to head to a birth etc - Use this knowledge to position yourself for the best shots, capturing both the big moments and the quiet, intimate ones. Australian Birth Stories do an awesome birth prep course online that is cost effective!
The one thing I have learnt as a midwife you are always needing to be at least two steps ahead, and this applies to birth photography!
A few other little tips, always have your batteries charged, your flash ready to go, know where you need to park and ALWAYS have petrol in your car! Rushing off to a birth when you can hear your client needs you to arrive- there is nothing worst then seeing that empty petrol light come on!
Respect the Space
Birth spaces can be crowded and chaotic. Always be respectful and unobtrusive. Your goal is to document the birth without disrupting the process! Your clients birth plan is so important, knowing this inside and out can help you not only support your birth client but also advocate for them. Your energy is also a really big thing, during the births of my babies I made it very clear I needed to protect my energy and asked everyone who entered the room to check their own energy before walking in. The birth space is not a time to talk about your own day, your emotions, you are a fly on the wall. I strongly suggest if you have any history of birth trauma or negative emotions surrounding birth, to check in with Core and Floor restore and attend a birth debrief. A birthing person will not always remember who was in the room at the time of their birth, but they will ALWAYS remember how you made them feel.
Capture the Emotions
The beauty of birth photography lies in the raw emotions—joy, relief, love, and sometimes, tears. Focus on capturing these authentic moments. The touch of a hand, a mother’s focused determination, the first breath of a newborn—these are the images that tell a powerful story. Birth photography is not all about the baby crowning, it’s about the story- the journey - the labour - to meeting a new soul.
your edits
After the session, handle the post-processing with the same care and sensitivity as the photography itself. Enhance the images to bring out the best qualities without over-editing. Your goal is to preserve the authenticity and emotion of the moment. Respect the photos on your screen as you would the space - edit in an intimate environment. It is not the place or space to be editing birth photos in a busy cafe!
Share Your Journey & debrief
As you build your portfolio, don’t hesitate to share your journey. Write about your experiences, the challenges, and the joys of being a birth photographer. Set up a way to debrief your emotions, as mentioned before Core and Floor is amazing. You will experience the most breathtaking moments but you will also face moments that can stop you in your tracks- leaving you feeling vulnerable and exhausted. During emergencies in a hospital setting you cannot record or continue to photograph, but you will be there witnessing a potential resuscitation or other medical emergency, share your experiences with your close ones.
Continuous Learning and Adaptation
Finally, always be open to learning and adapting. Birth photography is a dynamic field, and every experience will teach you something new. Stay updated with the latest techniques and continuously refine your skills.
Starting as a birth photographer is a beautiful journey that combines artistry, empathy, and technical skill. By embracing your unique perspective and following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to capturing the incredible moments of birth that families will cherish forever.