If hearing the words birth photography makes you cringe, you are not alone, I used to feel that way. I didn’t even know what it was or why anyone would want to capture such graphic photos to look back on later in life. That is until I actually saw birth photography. It’s not just the process of birth itself but all the precious moments leading up to it. Just type “birth photography” into Pinterest and tell me it doesn’t give you all the heart eyes. I didn’t get myself organized with my first baby to hire someone to come and capture her birth, which looking back I absolutely wish I did. This time around I already have my photographer lined up and it was one the first things I did after I found out my due date. If you are on the fence about whether to make the leap and get a photographer check out why you absolutely should below.
1. Memories
First of all I can’t think of anything better than pulling out photos of bringing my tiny babes into the world when I’m old and grey. Their first cry, our first time locking eyes on one another, the way my husband looked at me when his whole world was just turned upside down in the most beautiful of ways. My heart literally skips a beat just thinking about those moments. Sure, I have them embedded deep in my heart, but a photo has a way of taking us right back to that moment. Photos aren’t always to be shared by the public eyes, but tucked aways for our own precious memories.
2. Capture All The Details You Miss
There is so much that goes on behind the scenes that a birth photographer can capture. Friends and family eagerly waiting to hear the news, tender moments with your spouse. Your photographer will capture all the moments big and small that you can relive all over again.
3. So You Can Be Present
Labor is hard work, you know the whole process of pushing a baby out of your body kinda takes it out of you. It’s about all you can do to focus on your breathing and counting to 10 and all that, never mind worrying about who’s holding the camera and what photos they are getting. Take the pressure of yourself and let a professional take care of capturing the moments so you can focus on the task at hand.
4. So Your Spouse Can Focus on You
This! One of the main reasons I don’t have any photos of my daughter being born is because my husband did an incredible job focusing on me. A lot of time our spouses are hiding behind cameras instead of being fully in the moment with us. Having a photographer means your partner can just focus on you and let the memory catching be left to a professional.
5. Quality
While an iPhone can capture the basic shots, it can’t come close to compare to the quality of what a pro can do. Hospital lighting is not great, and many home births have difficult low lighting to compete with. Theses are just some of the things a professional will know how to work with to ensure you have beautiful, quality images to keep forever.
6. Professional
Not only do they provide excellent quality photos, they also know how to remain professional in the birthing environment. An experienced birth photographer will know the flow of birth and how to position themselves so they are not in the way but still able to capture the moments you hired them for.
7. Best Postpartum Gift
Well except for that new baby you just got to bring home, getting your birth photos back might best gift you can have postpartum. Especially when the reality of newborn life is setting in and sleep deprivation just got real. Scroll through your birth photos and all the feels will come rushing back.