What exactly IS birth photography?
/I get this question a lot. The conversation usually goes something along the lines of the person asking what I do for a living and me saying, I photograph births. Cue the awkward silence, interlaced with a bit of shock…
Person - “What do you mean you shoot births for a living?”
Me - “it means I photograph a mother’s labor and delivery story”
Person - “you mean, like a mom giving birth?!!!?”
Me - “yes, that’s a part of it. I document the story of baby’s arrival and first moments on earth”
Person - “wait a minute, so you take pictures of (THAT)?!”
Every. Time.
So, I thought I would write up a little blog post to clarify what exactly is birth photography, what makes it so special, and also the big question.. whether “THAT” is the star of the show :)
Birth photography is a new and growing art form. I’m happy to say I’ve been documenting labor and delivery stories for the past two years here in the UAE, and falling in love with birth more and more every day! Birth photography is documentary in nature, meaning that the people being photographed are not posing, nor acting in special ways for the camera. Most of the time, they are completely unaware of the images or videos being snapped.
Birth photography is definitely NOT just about capturing the moment the baby is born. That moment is a highlight of the day, sure, but there are many important moments that happen along the way that lead to that momentous event. A good birth photographer will be able to convey in pictures (and in my case, videos) what the day felt and looked like, through a series of well composed images. As a relative “outsider” to the event, a birth photographer has the advantage of being the fly on the wall, watching, absorbing, and digesting events happening around her, and translating these events into beautiful photography. The beauty of this? A laboring mom usually doesn’t have TIME to appreciate everything happening around her, can’t see how beautifully she labored, how proud her husband is of everything she is working to achieve. And a birth photographer is the answer to all of that :) For five more compelling reasons on why you should consider a birth photographer, read my blog post here!
Now, one of the biggest things I get asked about is whether any images of a “graphic nature” are recorded during the birth. A quick search for birth photography images on google will show you a wide array of possibilities, some images highly graphic, while others completely artistic. Birth is graphic in it’s nature. It’s expected. The choice for whether the moment the baby is born is captured in it’s full propensity is totally up to the laboring mom. If she would like that kind of coverage, then she will get it, otherwise, my default is to document that moment in the most conservative way - a way that highlights exactly what is happening without the need for being completely graphic.
I hope this has helped clarify in some way what birth photography is or isn't. I'd be more than happy to chat with you more if you have any questions! Feel free to contact me on info@lanaphotographs.com with your questions or booking requests or click here to send me a message!