Dads – WHY YOU SHOULD HIRE A BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHER

All your birth photography questions / concerns answered 

Your partner has just asked you whether she can hire a birth photographer to capture the birth of your baby and all you thinking is “A What? What is a birth photographer and why would you want a stranger in the room with you while you giving birth” 

Well, lets switch things up for a bit. Lets talk about something you may want, that new phone, or computer or maybe that cool new toy that you can fly around and record things (yes I know its called a drone) or something a little more exciting like a new car, your dream car, a limited edition, not to ever be sold again. The one with heated leather seats, a harman kardon sound system, the one with 400 something kw and that magically parks itself, all these special things that makes this car special or in fact different to the perfectly good one that you already have.

Your wife is confused, you’ve told her everything about this car, you’ve done all the research and this is definitely something that you HAVE to buy, yet she cant see the value or even understand half the stuff coming out your mouth. She tries to reason why you should just keep the perfectly good one that you already have, I mean that one also has a camera and goes beep beeep beeeeeep when you park, but at the end she probably ends up agreeing to it and not because it can park itself, but because YOU want it and love is about compromise and deep down she knows that its not just a car, just like its not just a photoshoot….  

Lets speak about your partner for a second. The one that has carried your baby for 9 months, the one that will endure the physical and emotional journey of birthing your baby. 

This day is one of the most memorable, incredible life changing days of your life. You can not ever do this day over again, so considering a birth photoraher for next time or later is not possible because your baby is only born once. 

Maybe, just maybe she wants you to be fully present during the birth, holding her hand and stroking her head. Maybe she doesn’t want the blury cellphone pictures. She wants the beautiful, unposed, professionally documented images where she can look back and see the things that she might have missed, like the expression on your face when your baby was born or the way your baby cuddled to your chest and the way you supported her throughout the birth.  

Maybe she wants to see images like this and deep down I think you might too. 

To her, this is not just another photoshoot. 

Now that I have you thinking, let me answer some of the questions that are still floating around your head like what is my role as a birth photographer? I am there to descretly and quietly document the intemacy and beauty of the birth of your baby, however im not just there to document this story, im also there to support you. Im there so that you can be fully present in the moment, not watching this magical day behind the screen of your phone. Im there to capture the moments that might be forgotten, the moments that might not be seen and the moments that will be cherished forever. 

Alright, but you don’t like being photographed. Not a problem. I wont show these images to anyone if you don’t want me to and I wont put you in an awkward position were I ask you to pose. I document the moments as they come naturally. 

Okay, but there are certain thing and moments that make you vaunerable and because you are protective over your partner, you dont want me photographing these things. I respect you for this and should there be something specific that you are not comforable with, I am here to discuss it. I also work according to a strict code of conduct so there are certain things that I am not allowed to photograph which will also help put you at ease.  

You a private person and you find it weird having another stranger with you in the labour room or theatre. I can understand your thinking here and this is why I encourage my clients to book early so that I can have a cup of coffee with you and build a relationship throughout the pregnancy so that when I arrive at the hospital or your home to capture the birth,  I might still be a stranger, yet Im a face that you know. 

This is not snap and go photography, this is a journey and it will be my honor to share it with you. Sometimes, you don’t have to understand something 100% to be supportive of it (Just like the car metaphor that I spoke of at the beginning). 

I hope that Ive cleared up your concerns and answered your questions, if not, lets meet for a coffee to chat about it or please feel free to send me an e-mail and ill be happy to answer and further questions.