The birth of one's child is one of the most magical, incredible experiences ever; I get it. What I don't get, however, are people who think they have to capture and commemorate every little step of the process with no boundaries whatsoever.
From nude pregnancy portraits to belly casts, people are determined to remember every nausea-punctuated moment, and that's fine; to each his or her own. When it comes to hiring photographers to capture every minute in the delivery room, however, it seems that we've really reached an extreme.
The New York Times highlighted this growing demand for birth photographers in an article this weekend titled "Honey, the Baby Is Coming; Quick, Call the Photographer," and it's pretty disturbing. We're not talking dad snapping some pics of the blessed event, but rather a paid stranger on call to capture the whole intimate event ... which suddenly becomes much less intimate.
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I understand it to a degree, wanting to capture those precious moments forever, wanting to see what you couldn't see. Rhisie Hentges of Long Beach, Calif., told the paper she paid almost $1,900 to have her baby's birth photographed because:
I want to see that moment when I’m in labor. That moment when both my husband and I look to see what the sex is? That’s something that I want to see happen.
But not all births are picture perfect, and there are complications. Then what? Hentges herself had to have a C-section, and her birth picture dreams were quickly dashed. It just seems like you're planning for a Kodak moment, when life and birth can be often be so much more complicated than that.
Not to mention the ridiculous fallout from such a practice there will inevitably be from women who want to look gorgeous in the shots. Soon labor and delivery rooms will have hair and makeup people on call, and lightening specialists ready to step in.
Some hospitals prohibit the practice, and others have rules regulating it, but for the most part, it seems to be a matter of choice. And in that case, I suppose it's each couple's right to do as they like. However, the whole practice just seems to take the focus of the birth process off of the birth and to prohibit parents from truly being in the moment in the interest of capturing it. And that's a shame.
Would you hire/ have you hired a professional birth photographer?
Image via koadmunkee/Flickr
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Comments 46
I guess if it were me. No. I don't need that. The pics I got were perfect but I feel if someone else wants to do that, it's up to them and if they can find a photographer, all the better. It's not for me to say. I wouldn't want anyone in my business but I'm older and things change. LOL!! I never even had an ultra sound and knowing what sex your child would be was unheard of. Times change but to each their own.
I am so glad that I am not alone in thinking that this article was pretty much a waste of time to read. All it did was get me riled up... As was said, "to each their own".... leave it at that. Personally, I had a scary, fast, incredible delivery with my second, and sure, it was intimate with just my husband and the midwife. Guess who was there to take pictures? NO ONE... I was so upset after the fact because IN THE MOMENT, there isn't anyone who can be objective and capture the real moments that make a memory. We didn't get a picture until an hour later, when my mom showed up. I would LOVE to have a photographer there to do just that. Take the picture of dad's face freaking out as he see's the head. Catch the picture of my hand gripping the bed rails for dear life. Get the picture of my baby being lifted into the air for the first time, gasping at his first breath.... Capture it ALLL... and if you don't want to see it, that's fine with me!
Two things: First, birth photography can be incredibly healing for a woman whose birth does not go as she had hoped. Especially in the case of an unplanned C-section. I WISH I had photos of my first child's birth so that they could help me see the beauty in the form it took.
Second, birth photography is ALL about the process of birth: celebrating and preserving it and allowing the participants to REALLY experience it without worrying that they should be grabbing a camera.
The only true thing you said is that it is a matter of choice. Stop besmearing other people's choices.
This blog *I refuse to call it an article* I one sided, biased, poorly written, and does nothing other than show how obsessed some people are with worrying about what others are doing, just to tell them they're doing it wrong.
As it was, the camera was left in the car and labor was too quick to get it. My husband and I were the only ones in the room, aside from the medical staff, and were able to share a very private moment welcoming our daughter.
Regardless, if I want pictures, then that's my business. Not yours. Most of the bloggers on this site must be terribly unhappy, bitter, and unfulfilled. They are, at the very least, judgemental and out of touch.
I really regret not having a friend there specifically to take pictures, and I actually have a close friend who is a photographer now. She did my wedding pictures and they turned out great. I will have her there taking pictures for me, but I doubt she'll charge. Although, I think I would pay a stranger to come shoot pictures if I had to, but I'd probably want them to shoot me and the family throughout the pregnancy, so I'd get to know them before birth comes. Then when I'm in labor I'm going to be at home unless my pregnancy is high risk for some reason, so I won't be getting a surprise C section.
Intimate...I had half the hospital up in my lady garden. Not really an intimate experience at all. I also felt very detached during it and missed out on a lot, I would have liked to have had a photographer there because I can't get that moment back and sadly you can't remember everything after the fact. I would have really enjoyed a professional to take those first moments I held and saw my daughter and immortalized them. As it was my husband did what he could with the camera but he was frazzled after the 41 hour labor and helping me when I pushed.
I think it is an awesome thing to have as an option, granted it wouldn't be for everyone but if they don't like it...simple...don't hire one and let the people who do enjoy their birth experience the way they want.