Ready to learn all about what to expect from your birth photographer? Keep reading for a break down of what a birth photographer will do from booking to final delivery of your images!
A Birth Photographer’s Role
The role of a birth photographer is to document your labor, delivery and your immediate postpartum journey.
Many families choose to hire a birth photographer because one or more of the following:
- they value high quality photography
- want to experience birth without thinking about documenting it
- feel that this is one of the most important days of their lives
Birth is one of the most powerful moments in your life, and capturing it should feel both natural and meaningful.
So, if you’ve hired a birth photographer, read on. If you are considering hiring a birth photographer in the OKC area, I’d love to chat!
Booking & Service Details
If you haven’t booked a birth photographer, it’s best to do so sooner than later. While you may want to wait until you hit the second trimester of your pregnancy, it never hurts to touch base with your photographer when you get your positive test!
Getting in touch early means you have more time to budget and plan accordingly. And since birth photographers generally only take a few clients each month, earlier booking secures your spot on their calendar.
The first thing I do with my inquiries is to schedule a phone call to discuss services, payment plans and let you ask any questions you may have. There’s a lot involved with birth photography so having this inital call is important to make sure we’re a good fit for each other.
On-Call Availability & Back-Ups
Once you’ve booked, you’re pretty well set until your third trimester!
I’ll email you some resources a few times throughout your pregnancy and at the beginning of your third trimester expect me to reach out to schedule an in-person meet up. At this time we’ll discuss communication preferences, must-have shots and I’ll answer any last questions you may have.
Part of my job in this type of photography is being on-call for you from about 38 weeks on.
Being on-call means that I’m ready to go at a moment’s notice with my gear ready to go. It also means that I stay within an certain distance of your birth location and am not on vacation or out of town.
Something else you need to consider when hiring a birth photographer is what happens if they have a family emergency or are sick at the time of your birth?
This is where back-up photographers come in. I have worked to build a strong relationship with two other OKC birth photographers and we’ve created an agreement where if one of us has an emergency or illness, one of us can fill in for the other.
What Happens on Birth Day
Generally, I’m going to want to join you when your in active labor, around 5-6 cm or when contractions are consistent. However, I still want to know how things are going sooner than this!
The goal is for you and I to communicate more and more as we get closer to your birth so I know when to join you. Once I’m on call you can text/call me day or night to keep me posted.
Once I’ve got the go ahead to join you, I’ll arrive and gently walk in to your birth space to check out the vibe of the room. Sometimes it’s upbeat and chatty, other times it’s quiet and focused. I make sure to match the feeling of the room and not disrupt as much as possible.
While being a photographer is my first and main role, I have been known to help grab ice chips or other necessities if no one else is available. Consider me a part of your birth team – I’m there to support you!
What Is Captured
Throughout your birth, there are specific things I’ll be capturing:
- Laboring process (strength, support, connection)
- Birth moment (baby’s first breath, reactions, first touch)
- Immediate postpartum (golden hour, skin-to-skin, first latch)
My goal is to capture tasteful and respectful images that I customize to your comfort level. We will discuss these preferences and specifics in our meeting during the third trimester.
Respect for Privacy & Birth Space
As a certified birth photographer I am trained to be unobtrusive and respectful. I always make sure that your care givers have the priority in your space and am sure to ask where I should stand or stay out of the way as needed.
While I have the skills of a photographer, I also am trained about how to handle sensitive situations in the birth space. If a time of distress comes up for mom or baby, I know at that time, I am not the priority and will step back and stop shooting or will exit the room until things have stabilized.
Additionally, while I always love to share images from birth on my website, social media or other marketing pieces, I only do so with your permission. I include a model release in our agreement that you can sign or have me exclude. If you decide to include this, I still send a marketing request with specific images I’d love to use if you decide to release them. I value that it is a privilege to be invited into your space and never want to damage that experience.
Editing & Delivery Timeline
Generally I stay at your birth until 2 hours postpartum. I’ll usually ask you if there are any last shots you would like before the 2 hour mark so we can finalize your birth story.
After every birth, I’m always excited to look through your images! Within the first 24 hours I will do this and text you a few images so you’ll have some to view and share if you prefer.
Throughout the following weeks, I take time to curate your gallery by choosing the best shots, color correcting and creating a story with your images and video footage.
You can expect your birth photography gallery within 2 weeks of your birth and birth videos 4 weeks from your birth.
I will deliver your gallery and video through a password protected site and once we have any changes made, all files will be delivered on a USB drive with any printed products that may be included.
Why Birth Photography Is Worth It
While birth photography isn’t for everyone, here are some of the reasons you should consider adding a birth photographer to your team:
- You consider this day to be as important or more important than your wedding day. Wedding photographers are one of the first things you book when you’re getting married, but what about the day your child enters this world, adding or completing your family?
- You want a tangible way to remember your birth. Mama, I’ve been there, there’s so much that happens on the day you have your baby. And all those memories get lost in the years after.
- You want someone there to capture the beautifully raw, real, once-in-a-lifetime moments. Trust me, husbands are amazing, but they’re not always the best photographers. 😉
Here’s what a few clients have said about working with me:
“Sarah was the perfect addition to our birth team, and captured our entire experience perfectly! She was such a calm, peaceful presence, and gave the midwives room to work, while also being able to capture every special moment. We are so grateful to have had her with us on one of the most memorable days for our family. We will treasure these photos forever! “
– Jordan, OKC
“From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I knew without a doubt Sarah would be a part of my birth team. From our first meeting together I knew she would bring so much more to our space than just pictures and videos. While Sarah does an outstanding work (our maternity photos, birth photos, and birth video turned out AMAZING), she does an equally amazing job showing deep love and support to the mamas she serves.“
– Karinda, Moore
Hopefully this post has been helpful for you to know the process of what you can expect from your birth photographer or help confirm that it’s the right choice for you.
Your birth story deserves to be remembered!
Ready to see more of my work? Check out my birth galleries.
Want to know more? Let’s chat!
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