Birth pictures

[melody1]

I was at the docs a few days ago, and became curious after looking through a

couple of books, how many photographers offer coverage of a baby's birth?

 

I know this isn't exactly a 'social' event, but it is a major life event, so:

 

Would you be comfortable shooting a birth? I found myself very intrigued, and

wondering how one could advertise this service. The images in the books were

so striking and emotional (hey, I'm a woman), I would love the opportunity to

cover something like this.

 

I have thought about offering this service, and it you would have to be 'on

call' in order to be there at the right time, and willing to wait for hours...

before enything potentially might happen.

 

 

I would like to know what you think.

 

(I noticed the post about boudior wedding photography a few weeks back, and,

although the two are not one in the same, I wonder how this will be recieved.)

[kari douma]

I have always wanted to do this. I think this would be an incredible event to cover. There are only a couple problems that i forsee in this. 1) Being on call. If we are wedding photographers, we can't skip the wedding, therefore we chance missing the birth. 2) I would have to charge a LOT to cover my time. I knew a photographer who offered this, and on her first time she was so excited. She went to the hospital as soon as they called her. Well, it was a 30 hour labor. After waiting that long, she couldn't go home. You'd have to arrange something like the DR.'s where they just call you when the mom is getting close. Or, is that part of the documentation? So, who wants to spen the money for 2 or 3 times the cost of a wedding on a baby's birth?

 

I offered this service to a close friend. The exception was if I had a wedding when the time would come. I was going to do it as a gift for her. I would do it for a customer it they knew that weddings had priority and if they could pay for it.

[david_schilling___chicago_]

I don't know that this would be very practical with all the logistics, hospitals can get very freaky about photographers coming in and taking pics....been there a couple of times and it can get kinda hectic/busy....think you'd be a 5th wheel and alot of the moms don't look that photogenics in the last couple of hours.

 

I do like the idea of coming in to do some portraits ASAP...the pic below is for a couple (I shot their wedding October 2004) who did a home birthing...I did the pics the next day, mom didn't feel much like posing altho the baby and dad did.<div></div>

[Jerry_]

It would be a 50/50 situation. Some new mom's may think it is OK to have a series of crotch shots during childbirth, and some do not want a camera anywhere in the room. (Wait for the doctor to OK your visit with a camera and the new babe is cleaned up. That would be the way to go in my estimation at what would make the new parents happy.)

[colleendonovan]

Yeah, I'm thinking of all the dumb things I say and how I look after 8 hours of natural labor and childbirth and I'm thinking I really wouldn't want any pictures. It's better to remember it in my head. Pictures of my babies right away would be neat though.

[brendon]

I'm an avid amateur photographer and a small-town doc who delivers two or three babies a month. I think that the responses so far are right on. The issue of being "on call" is just brutal for us physicians (and midwives).

 

"I have always wanted to do this. I think this would be an incredible event to cover." It is an incredible event to be present for; but I think it would be difficult someone who is not emotionally close to the laboring woman to bring a camera into the intimacy of the laboring process without disrupting it.

 

On the technical side, the lighting is often terrible--there's not much light, flash would be tremendously disruptive, and ambient lights usually have widely varying color temperatures.

 

I think David's response is sensible and realistic. After the baby is born (and everyone is healthy) there are moments of beauty, love, exhaustion, and intimacy, without the unpredictability of labor.

 

It'll be interesting to read the comments of those who have photographed births, both as a friend/relative and as a paid professional.

 

-Brendon

[jaybee]

David has a good point. Assuming the birth takes place at a medical facility, you would need to find out if they have a policy about having an outside photographer present. Many facilities no longer allow video cameras during the birth process. Too many videos wound up being used in malpractice cases. The same might apply to outside photographers.

[melody1]

Perhaps, I'm from a completely different mindset - I think that all of the work that goes into a birth, all of the pain, the entire experience is beautiful. I'm also thinking of a slightly different clientelle, alternative birth, if you will. In my area, there is a large percentage of people who deliver naturally, whether at home or in a free standing birth center with midwives, and the philosophy is that it is a huge transitional event that actively involves the father as a coach and support.

I have been in quite a few midwive's offices, and all of them have framed professional pictures taken during delivery by hired photographers, so there must be a few photographers, at least in the DC area, that offer it.

 

Capturing the look on the mother's face as she sees her baby for the first time, the intensity of the moment as dad helps coach his partner through some of the most pain she may ever feel, and even pictures of him cutting the cord. I can think of endless other possibilities.

 

I understand that this would have to be geared toward families that would view the process not as a time when they weren't photogenic, but an extremly emotional time worth documenting. I also don't picture this as obtrusive. I was thinking fast, b&w film just right for low light conditions, with a grain that would be perfect for the subject. (aka no flash, but then I'm a no flash type of gal)

 

Your comments were, and still are greatly appreciated!

[nicola inglis]

The philosphy you describe sounds very much like the prevailing attitude here too. And I've seen the type of pictures you're talking about too and wondered if there might be a gap in the market. However with all the complications pointed out here I'm also wondering if they might have been comissioned by the midwives as in any baby will do rather than waiting to photograph a particular baby.

 

Incidentally when I had my first baby I had a friend who is also a great photographer present and I'd instructed her on what to shoot (and what not to!) and had her all set up with Tmax 3200. And I love my pictures.<div></div>