7 Common Misconceptions About Birth Photography

Often, when I tell someone what I do, I'm met with one of 3 reactions..1. the puzzled look - this person can't understand why in the world someone would photograph babies emerging from vaginas for a living...haha!2. the disgusted look - like they REALLY can't comprehend why anyone would even want to be in the same room as a vagina with a baby coming out.3. (the unicorn pooping skittles of a reaction) the amazed look - they understand the sheer awesomeness of what I actually do..like seriously it's pretty freaking amazing!

So, in an effort to change a few looks of confusion and borderline nausea, I'm going to debunk some of the most common misconceptions when people hearBIRTH PHOTOGRAPHER(dum! dum! duuuuuuuuuuum!)

1.Seriously! It's not! As a birth photographer it's my job to capture your birth images or film beautifully and tastefully. There are ways for me to capture the awesomeness that is your baby’s birth while keeping things PG, if that's what you are worried about. You aren’t just receiving “crotch shots”, you receive the EMOTION of the day, the LITTLE DETAILS, and your EXPRESSION as you meet your little one for the first time.Don't let the fear of the crotch shot scare you away from capturing such an amazing moment in your life! 

2.Ideally, this wouldn't be the case (unless you book SUPER last minute!) The goal is for us to get to meet in person before hand - maybe even do a maternity session - so we can get a feel for each other and so you know that I'm not some creepy old guy who enjoys checking out beautiful pregnant mamas such as yourself 😜 Then I'd keep in touch with you up until d-day...by then we are basically besties anyways, so it would be much less awkward for you!

3.GREAT IDEA! (especially if that person is a birth photographer)But wouldn't you rather them focusing on taking care of you and actually be IN some of the photos? Trust me, from experience, you'd MUCH rather hire a pro! I have 1 terrible quality photo from right after I had my first son and I regret not even knowing about birth photography then...with my second son, I remember giving my sister my camera and telling her NO CROTCH SHOTS...she didn't listen 😂😂😂....and with my daughter, I had my dad on camera duty and although he got some decent shots, a lot were blurry or over exposed, and I felt like he missed some things that a professional would have known to get. Yes, I'm grateful for any pictures that I have but I would have loved to see more of a story and less of a half-hazard attempt to TRY to capture what I want ARTISTICALLY for me to refer back to. Ehhh....you live and learn, right? I just don't want anyone else to have regrets about their choice of a photographer.

4.I would say most births are 95% pure awesomeness and only 5% gross. I mean, what your body has gone through for the previous 40ish weeks to grow a human is nothing short of miraculous! Then your baby's birth is like the grand finale of a super interesting film...kind of like Titanic...haha!(okay, maybe NOT the titanic...there will be no iceberg, or sinking ship, or lifeboats, or Leonardo DiCaprio freezing to death in the ocean while Rose just sits there hogging the makeshift raft...lol) There will undoubtedly be ups and downs during labor, but that's the beauty of your story! The only significantly "gross" part is all of the "stuff" that's on your baby right after birth (SPOILER: they don't come out all pristine and clean...😂)....

5.It's true that in some cases I wouldn't be allowed in the OR with you. But that doesn't make your birth story any less worthy of being told! There are a few ways around it...1. If I'm not allowed in, I'll send my camera in with your birth support person (basically whoever you choose to suit up and go in with you) so they can get a few of the shots as you meet your baby for the first time. There will be plenty shot by me before and even more after when you get to hold your new baby for the first time. ❤️2. If you advocate hard enough, I may be allowed back with you!3. It may be as simple as you expressing that you want your photographer back with you and BAM! I'm there too!In any case, it's good to know the protocols for the hospital you intend to deliver as well as discussing my presence in the OR with your doctor BEFORE you commit to hiring a birth photographer...

6.I can assure you they won't be! First of all, when it comes to pictures of THAT area, I know the angles to get that are least likely to freak anyone out... Google "implied nudity"... You can see what's going on without actually seeing what's going on....(Unless you specifically tell me that you want obvious crowning shots, you probably won't get that)...even more important is that the photos I take are for YOU and your family...not for the Internet (although I'd really hope that you'd allow me to share a few so that other women can benefit from seeing your story). No photos or video would be made public without your permission. 

7.Not at all! I carry the bare minimum - in terms of gear - to births in an effort to make my presence as small as possible. I can be as invisible as you need or I could be a person to chat with while you're waiting on your baby to arrive. At the end of it all, my job is to be there for you to document your story as part of your chosen birth team. That is nothing short of a privilege and I'll do everything in my power to make sure that you are comfortable with me being there with you. 

So that's it!If you have any other concerns that you'd like debunked, please feel free to comment below and I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have!