I have always been intrigued by birth photography but it wasn’t until I finally gathered all of my bravery and offered up a deal to my Facebook and Instagram followers so that I could build my portfolio. Thankfully, I had a number of applicants and was able to choose births that I would be able to attend due to my schedule and location as well as likelihood of a birth I’d actually be able to witness (some hospitals don’t allow photographers during a cesarean section surgery). I was so grateful that an old friend (that I adored then and haven’t seen for 20+ years) from my club soccer team (and carpool!) in high school contacted me about photographing his partner’s birth earlier this year. I was thrilled to reconnect with my old friend, who now identifies as male, and meet his love, “G”. G radiates good vibes and I knew right away that this would be a great fit for my first birth to document.
A few days before the due date, “O” messaged me that labor had begun. I could have waited but I was so excited that I packed up all of my things, grabbed some snacks and drove to their house in South Seattle. I was able to witness G’s strength and O’s incredible support during a very difficult labor that ended up lasting about 48 hours. Of course, I didn’t stay the entire time and took lots of breaks thanks to a very solid communication plan. It was an invigorating experience for me, not only because I am fascinated by all things birth and mama but also because we were in three different locations with many different lighting scenarios and I was able to experiment with my camera. I loved capturing the support (birth partner, pets, doulas, midwifes, nurses, and OBGYN doctor) and strength I witnessed, along with the gorgeous entrance into the world by a beautiful baby girl.
