04/17/2025
No one knows how birth stories are going to unfold. There will be moments of calm and clarity then it will change into wild chaos and then change again into stunning relief and joy. Every emotion will be present. People will hold their breaths when it gets intense and laugh when it's called for. The energy ebbs and flows like the birth is it's own entity in the room with us.
Then when it's all said and done, I take my camera home and relive the story over and over while I edit and create video and lasting memories to help preserve the mountains and valleys of the emotions. With that, choosing an image to share is so difficult because I know what I felt, if I was breathing, the energy, the emotion, everything in that single moment.
Thought the question is: do you? Do you feel and sense the same things I do when looking at a photo that you were not present for? Do you feel the calm before the storm? Do you feel the deep sign of anticipation?
If documenting a birth can cause wonder and awe in people that weren't present. How do you think those that were feel? I can only hope that by documenting every detail of their experience helps them in whatever way they may need it to. Whether to aid their memory of the timeline or show them that they were strong and did everything in their power to get the birth story of their dreams. I know it can also be healing when their story doesn't align with their expectations.
There are so many emotions and thoughts I have regarding birth photography. I can only hope that I can continue to have the honor of being invited in and telling the story.
