First Impressions Birth Photography
What is Birth Photography?
Birth photography is raw and pure. The field of birth photography is growing in popularity and is becoming much more common as more parents invite photographers to their birth experiences, according to The International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP), an organization that aims to help connect interested parents with birth photographers in their area.
In short: form the moment you have a dilation of 4-5 centimeters, you call me and I stay with you until the baby is born. There is nothing quite like birth photography. I can tell you from my experiences, it is an emotion-filled, once in a lifetime chance to witness a miracle. Each birth I have attended has been unique from one another. And I know the future ones I will photograph will be different as well. That is what makes it exciting and at times a little difficult. But to be able to capture the moment when you meet your little bundle of joy for the very first time is absolutely amazing!
Birth photography is possible at home and hospital births.
What do you charge?
For starters, from your 38th week I am on stand by, 24/7. I will be on stand by until your contractions start and this can happen spontaneously until week 42. From the moment you have a dilation of 4-5 centimers I will join you, wherever you are, the hospital or at home, and I will stay with you until the baby is born and 1,5 to two hours old. There is no time limit as to how long a birth can take. It could vary from a few hours to… well, let’s just say, a lot longer than that. I will be by your side to document everything that happens.
After the baby is born, I will go home and select and process the pictures taken. Within two weeks you will have all the pictures digitally. Because of all the work -and time- that goes into it, a birth package isn’t cheap. Click here to see the different packages I offer.
To have a photographer cover your birth isn’t cheap. From the moment we’ve met until the baby is born, there is constant contact between the parents and the photographer. And from the moment you’ve reached your 38th week, I am on stand by 24/7 to come and be with you until the little one has arrived. Because of this labor-intensive proces (even for the photographer!) the prices are slightly higher compared to other fields of photography. With that said… the pictures are priceless for the parents!
Why birth photography?
People are used to photograph important milestones in their life like weddings or birthdays. Birth Photography is about documenting the anticipation of those hours before your baby is born. Birth Photography is about documenting that exact moment when you look at your baby for the first time, hold them in your arms, smell their smell for the first time, hear their cry for the first time. Why not cover a birth? It is one of the most intense moments of your life and with pictures you keep that memory alive!
Only happy faces
Often partners or nurses are asked to take some pictures during a birth. The problem with partners is that they are, just like you are, focused on other things (you!) and it’s difficult to focus between you and the camera. And nurses, well, let’s just acknowledge that they are there for another reason… The result of the pictures taken in these circumstances are more often than not, dissapointing: the pictures are too dark/light, not in focus and the most important moments are missed. To be honest… there is a reason why people hire a professional birth photographer!
Een geboortefotograaf heeft ervaring met het maken van foto’s van de meest belangrijke momenten van de bevalling: het moment dat je partner je ondersteunt bij de weeën, de geboorte van jullie kindje zelf, het doorknippen van de navelstreng, het moment dat jij je baby’tje voor het eerst ziet… die momenten zijn priceless en hoe goed je geheugen ook is, als je er foto’s van hebt, vergeet je die momenten nooit meer.
Bij geboortefotografie heb je met meer te maken dan alleen mooie momenten vastleggen. Een professionele geboortefotograaf weet bijvoorbeeld hoe zij zich moet gedragen in een ziekenhuis en is goed op de hoogte van de regels van ziekenhuizen en verloskundigen. Een goede fotograaf die geen ervaring heeft met geboortefotografie weet vaak niet aan welke ethische codes hij zich moet houden en is daarom doorgaans niet gewenst in een ziekenhuis. Geboortefotografie is echt een vak apart.