Birth is a transformative experience where one comes face to face with the core of our inner selves. Childbirth is an emotional journey paved with many emotional highs and lows. The teardrops that make their course down a father’s cheek while holding his son for the first time are unrehearsed.

Birthing space

Birth photographers know to anticipate these fleeting moments while documenting a birth. The benefits of hiring a photographer who primarily shoots birth photography are their ability to capture emotions during labor and delivery; while working in a quick and quiet manner. 

24/7 on-call commitment

For one expecting family, a birth photographer typically commits 24/7 on-call availability for 5-6 weeks until delivery. The time of birth, the estimated due date, and the length of labor and birth are highly unpredictable. Birth photography sessions are limited to a few expecting families per month to ensure availability for their estimated due date. On average, a birth photographer will dedicate 8 to 12 hours to document a birth story. The hours at birth are unknown, and there are no set hours of photography coverage for families. The families can process childbirth without worrying about time when having a professional birth photographer on their birth team. A baby has no watch, and a birth photographer understands the uncertainty of birth is the nature of birth photography. 

Knowledge of birth proceedings

Photographers who specialize in birth photography; make it a point to educate themselves in the immersive world of labor and delivery. For a birth photographer, it is vital to understand the proceedings of childbirth to serve the family and be a source of support for the entire birth team if necessary. No births are alike.

Backup birth photographer

A well-compensated backup photographer is necessary to ensure the family will have the most monumental moment of their lives documented in case the main photographer is not available to attend the birth. 

Able to work in poor lighting conditions

Unlike weddings and outdoor portrait sessions, the lighting conditions in a birth space are low due to moms preferring to labor in the dark to help tune in and allow them to focus during labor. A birth photographer knows how to shoot in difficult lighting conditions and has photography gear that will enable the photographer to create a birth story with the ambient light available. 

Customized photography service

Birth photographers create a story-driven collective of images during the editing process. Aspects such as composition, lighting, shadows, color tone, and clarity are enhanced or applied to showcase the birth story in the final image gallery. 

Lifestyle and dedication to birth photography

Photographers who shoot birth know how to create beautiful birth images out of any birthing location. Birth photographers are highly committed and compassionate about documenting the emotional journey of a baby born into their new life.