CHECK LIST
These tips might help you prepare for the day and will help to give you an understanding of what shots we will try and get on the day.
- Christening invitation. We know you will probably hold on to a copy of this, but we’ll take a photo just in case.
- Detail shots of bub in christening outfit. We can pay attention to any items that hold sentiment such as jewellery as well as the smaller details that make the outfit special.
- Detail shots of the venue.
- Shots of the accessories such as the candle, bubs bib, rosary beads as well as any other gifts.
- Greeting guests at the church.
- The important moments of the ceremony.
- Group shots after the ceremony. We try to get the group shots in a fairly timely manner as this is when bub can start to become tired and restless.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Before the birth, we will meet with you and if possible, your birth partner or support person, to discuss what you have in mind for your baby’s debut. We understand it is such an intimate and vulnerable time and would like to ensure we have a clear understanding of what your vision is and what you would like to get out of your photo shoot.
We’ll discuss any specific shots you’d like, whether you’d like images on baby crowning, or baby latching for the first time (if breastfeeding), or if there’s any areas or moments you’d like not to be photographed.
We will also try and get an understanding of your birth plan and how we could be of assistance should it change on the day.
The initial consultation will be quite thorough, to give you peace of mind and assurance before the big day.
Three weeks before your due date, our team will be on call 24-7 for you should your ‘expected’ due date become ‘unexpected’.
We will remain within 30 minutes of the city and will always have a means of transport with our camera bags packed and ready. No precious moments will be missed.
We will eagerly wait by the phone for your call and would love if you could just keep us informed of your progress once you are in labour. Once you reach 5 – 6 cm dilation we will start working our magic. Once bubs is earth side, we will stay for about 2 hours, but this is at your discretion and it is your choice how long you would like us there.
WHAT IS BABIES BIRTH STORY AND WHAT DOES IT COVER?
Babies birth story is a documentary style photo shoot that will capture the incredible moments before bub is born and the critical seconds immediately after bub is born.
It begins as soon as you’re in active labour (6cm dilated) and finishes when you’re ready for us to leave you with your precious new bundle of joy, and once we are confident we have documented what will become your birth story.
WHY IS IT SO EXPENSIVE?
Our team is committed to providing you and your family with best experience we possibly can. To achieve this, there are quite a few sacrifices we need to make on our end to ensure we will be there the second you need us. We do this because we each share the same passion for the work we do, but our families sometimes miss out on having us at important events.
We also make sure we are contactable 24-7 in the lead up to your birth.
Each one of us takes great pride in the skills we have acquired during our time in the industry and apply these to every session. We also ensure these skills, product knowledge and equipment are being consistently upgraded and in line with current trends and personal styles.
If you compare the pricing of Birth Photography to that of a wedding, it might make sense that they are both pretty on par. Generally, your wedding photographer will be with you for 8 – 10 hours but your birth photographer could be with you for 20!
WHAT KIND OF PHOTOS DO YOU TAKE AT BIRTHING SESSIONS?
Whatever photos you’d like us to take!
We understand that every new mum will have differing levels of comfort and what they would like to appear or not to appear in photographs.
We will work very closely with you so we have a clear understanding of your vision and what type of shots you would like taken on the day.
WHY SHOULD I HIRE A BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHER?
The rise of birth photography has been welcomed by many, though most people are probably not fully aware of the process and what can be gained through having a professional with you in one of life’s most intimate moments.
It is about telling the story of the miracle of life and love.
Some people wonder why they need to hire a photographer when they have a family member or friend that could take some shots with their phone or camera. Yes this will mean that you will have captured some moments from the day, but without having a trained eye or the right equipment, it could leave you with blurry images that are too dark or too graphic and that don’t tell your story tastefully or artistically.
We want you to have images you are proud to display and ones that you can pass on to your children so they too can reflect back on the memories and see the emotions felt when they entered the world.
Hiring a birth photographer is a very personal decision and is one only you can make. We are sure though, that there would be more mums that have some regret for not having a birth photographer then mums that do regret having a photographer with them on the day.
There are some great articles online outlining the benefits of having a birth photographer and how rewarding it can be.
WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU TO BE MY BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHER?
We don’t like to toot our own horn, but we have acquired extensive experience in birth photography and have basic knowledge about the physiology of a woman in labour.
We understand the energy we need to bring to the shoot, so we create a relaxing and calm space for mum. We will consult with your care providers and support persons to maintain safety and will keep ourselves at a distance as much as we possibly can, so we do not cause any overwhelm for mum. We understand that we are not there to be ‘spectators’ and will respect that it is your birthing space.
We work extremely hard at each shoot to ensure we do not interfere with the natural process of your birth and keep our equipment tucked away so it does not become a hazard.
We do our very best to make sure you hardly even know that we are there, and are not there to interrupt your journey, just document it.
DO YOU TAKE PHOTOS OF THE WHOLE LABOUR AND BIRTH?
The only limitations to the photos are the ones that you decide, or of the hospitals or doctors’ policies.
We will only photograph what has been decided in the consultation before your birth.
We will always respect if, at any point, this should change or should things become different on the day.
WILL YOU POST PHOTOS ON THE INTERNET?
We do post photos to the internet, but we will never post anything that you are not comfortable with. We will discuss this in our initial consultation.
YOU WON’T POST ANY NAKED PHOTOS OF MYSELF ON THE INTERNET, WILL YOU?
Absolutely not, never. Again, we will never post anything you are not comfortable with. We take pride in being able to capture the beauty of birth without showing nudity of any kind. If you do decide not to have your photos shown publicly, we will respect your wishes for privacy.
WILL WE MEET BEFORE THE BIRTH?
This part is vital. We will absolutely meet before the birth and would love to form a level of friendship, so you feel completely at ease with our presence on the day.
During this meeting, we want you to voice any concerns, wishes or expectations, and will discuss every detail of the process with you.
WHERE IN LABOUR SHOULD I CALL YOU?
If you could call us as soon as you are in active labour (admitted to hospital or have called your midwife if having a home birth)
If your birth partner or support person is aware of your wishes to have us there, they can also call us as you might be slightly preoccupied. They can update us on your progress so we arrive at the perfect time.
We will show up when we have received that notification that you have gone into active labor (6-7cm dilated)
WHAT IF I GO IN TO LABOUR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?
You can call us at any time, and we will be there. Even if it is 2 am, this is why we are on call for you 24-7 leading up to your birth.
HOW LONG WILL YOU STAY? WHAT IF I HAVE A LONG LABOUR?
We know births are unpredictable and no one knows how long it could potentially go for. We will be there with you for the entirety of your labor. Whether 5 hours or 30, we will be by your side.
WHAT IF I HAVE A SHORT LABOUR, WILL I GET A REFUND?
Unfortunately we do not offer a refund should you be lucky enough (and fingers crossed for you) to experience a short labour, just as we do not expect you to pay extra if you experience a long labour. It is unpredictable and every birth still requires the same level of commitment and time on our part.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I DECIDE I DON’T WANT YOU IN THE BIRTHING SUITE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME?
We will respect your wishes at all time and leave these decisions in your hands. We respect that every woman might change her mind once she is experiencing labour. We will simply remain in the waiting room until you decide we are welcome back in. Your birth partner or support person can notify us, even if it’s not until bub has been born or shortly after.
Please note that we are not able to offer a refund or credit if you do ask us to leave.
WHAT ABOUT SCHEDULED C – SECTIONS?
We would require you to discuss the options with your doctor or midwife first, due to possible limitations with us having permission to be present in the OR.
We will still be able to capture the moments before and after surgery. Having a cesarean will not mean you have to miss out on having beautiful images to look back on, we will just accommodate to it to the best of our ability.
Should we not be permitted to enter in to the OR with you, we will provide your partner with a camera so you are still able to get some shots in there. We will put the camera on auto so it will simply be point and shoot.
WHAT IF I GIVE BIRTH PREMATURELY?
Even though we might not be on call if you go into labour prematurely, we will still do our absolute best to be there with you.
We understand a premature birth will present a shoot of a more sensitive nature and will accommodate to this.
Should we not make it to the birth, we will put the cost of your birth photography towards a newborn session, or any other type of portrait session we offer.
WHAT IF YOU CAN’T MAKE THE BIRTH?
This hasn’t happened yet, and we take the steps we’ve outlined very seriously in the hopes of avoiding it, however, if we can’t make it, and our back up photographer can’t make it and it’s within the 3 weeks of your expected due date, we will put your payment towards towards another baby or family session of your choosing or we will offer you a refund.
WHAT WILL YOU DO IF SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY BABY?
We will delicately assess the situation and follow your lead based on the circumstances. We will respect your decisions and will only stay if you would like us to.
To a degree, we will use our experience to best judge what our next step will be, but it will always be at your discretion.
HOW LONG DO YOU STAY AFTER THE BIRTH?
We will typically stay for about 2 hours after you have given birth and are settled with bub. We will capture the height and weight of your newborn and any other important information, then it is entirely up to you when you would like us to finish up.
WILL I HAVE TO GET APPROVAL FROM MY HOSPITAL?
We ask that you discuss your wishes to have a photographer with your doctor or midwife.
It is extremely important that they are aware of this before the day to avoid any unnecessary confusion or upset. Some hospitals will be stricter and have differing policies regarding photographers being allowed at births and in certain areas.
WILL YOU USE A FLASH? EVEN IF I DON’T WANT IT?
We will only use a flash if we feel that we cannot capture the image without it. We do include an external flash in the professional grade equipment we bring along, but it rarely gets used.
In most situations, we feel that a flash takes away from the atmosphere of the birth so we will avoid it if we can.
We will discuss this further with you during your consultation.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET MY PHOTOGRAPHS?
You will receive an email with some of the images within 2 – 3 days, so you have something to share. The rest of the images will be edited and completed within 2 – 3 weeks.
IF I DECIDE BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOT FOR ME, WOULD YOU RECOMMEND I GET AN AT HOME SHOOT OR NEWBORN SESSION INSTEAD?
We might be biased, but we absolutely recommend having at least one session with bub. We truly understand birth photography is not for everyone but want to emphasise the importance of having images you can look back on.
The moments are fleeting, especially in the first couple of months when you are completely immersed in your baby bubble.
Even if you book a session for the day after bub arrives, you will still capture those beautiful first moments.
When helping choose between a session at home, or at the hospital, we would lean towards a hospital shoot every time. The emotions are so raw in those first couple of days, and you can’t book for a hospital session after you are discharged.
Not to take anything away from an in-home newborn session, as these can be just as special. Either shoot is a priceless investment you will not regret choosing.
