Feature photo by Lauren Grayson
Birth photography is a sought after service, and for good reason. To be able to revisit the moment you first laid eyes on your baby is something that should be considered just as paramount and treasured as your wedding day. Great birth photos can help you remember all those emotional moments that went by so quickly.
And, while someone in the room will no doubt have a smartphone, an iPad or a camera to take pictures, having a professional photographer comes with advantages. As a birth photographer and mother, I can tell you that having an outsider’s perspective is something incredibly wonderful. As a mother, you miss things. There are so many things you forget during the moments of labor or events that you simply miss. As a father, you have to find a balance between supporting a laboring mom and capturing photographs of your new child, all while trying to enjoy the moment.
As the birth photographer, you are documenting one of the most miraculous moments in your clients’ lives, and the stakes are high. There is the adrenaline rush of making it to the hospital before a baby comes out, trying to make sure you get the good shots that will later bring tears and smiles to mom’s face, battling low and unsavory lighting in hospitals, dark rooms at home births, or a team of medical staff in an OR during a c-section are all things you have to be ready for and know how to deal with at a moments notice.
But, while birth photography can be challenging — especially because you have to be on call and ready to go — the rewards are huge. Experiencing a birth is unlike any other photo session you will ever take on. It is truly a unique and special moment. Here are 19 birth photos that truly capture what it’s like to be in the delivery room:
Great article and awesome collection of pictures. These pictures actually portraits the natural beauty and emotions of childbirth and the article is also very well written .
Really nice article and beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing them with us Lauren ! I’m a lifestyle photographer for families and passionnate people and I was thinking about specializing in birth because I’m obsessed by true emotions. And we definitely see them in your work !
I love this session! Beautiful work Lauren!
Beautiful collection and article! as a fellow birth photographer I agree that it can be challenging but is SO REWARDING!