Client Guide for Birth Photography

The first step in our journey is the most boring - contracts and payments. I take 50% upfront while the remaining balance is due at 37 weeks when my on-call time starts. We will also use this time to get to know each other to your comfort level, discuss what you want out of your birth photography and talk more about logistics.

Early labor can be a bit confusing for a lot of people. Some of my clients have mild to moderate contractions for days or even weeks as their bodies prepare for birth. If these start, your water breaks or you see bloody show, please communicate this with me. If they are not accompanied by rapidly progressing labor I would appreciate you wait until daytime hours if it doesn’t feel urgent. If you aren’t sure, please reach out to me anyway. I would rather us be on the same page and me be prepared than not!

Here I come! Many factors come into play for when I show up for a birth including dilation, contractions, induction, cesarean, birth history and more. I will get into more of these below.

Generally, I look for dilation of 6cm or more and/or strong contractions that are hard to speak or walk through. If i show up before then the photos are typically a bit lackluster. I show up when the action really starts!

I stay for up to 2 hours after your birth to document skin-to-skin, breastfeeding, meeting family, newborn exams and those sweet first moments together. If your newborn exam is being delayed by your doctor or midwife, you can ask that it be done before I leave to document. You can also purchase more time in one hour increments if you’d like me to stay longer.

If you stay in labor for an extended time, we will discuss rest options for me. If you are delivering close to my home, I might return home to sleep. If not, I might take a nap in my car or run out to get myself food. This will all be discussed and agreed on by all of us as a team. I will not randomly leave to eat or sleep. I come prepared with snacks and water and can typically hold out for longer labor, but I also want to ensure my safety in terms of driving home or being safe in your birth space.

You will get two “sneak peek” photos within 48 hours of your birth. This is so that you can reflect, see what your gallery will look like and share with loved ones.

Your final gallery will be uploaded within three weeks to a password protected gallery. There you can view and download high resolution images. Please be advised that your gallery will remain on that platform for 12 months. You will get an email reminder a month before and a week before that your gallery is expiring. Please download and back up all of your photos before that date. I do keep edited photos on external storage and cloud storage indefinitely, but my storage of the raw files and your online gallery will be removed 12 months after delivery.

If you are scheduling a cesarean, being induced, have a history of precipitous births or other factors that might change when I show up, let’s go over how that might look.

-Cesarean. If you are having a c-section it is almost guaranteed that I will not be allowed back in the operating room. There are very strict policies here that prevent extra people or cameras being allowed. If you have already paid your balance I will show up to the hospital to document your arrival and stay to take photos of you in recovery. I will also do a free Fresh 48, Newborn or Family shoot to make up for the lack of delivery photos.

-Induction. Induction can take a long time. Not always, but it can. Because of that, I need an open line of communication with you and your birth team. Unless you are progressing very quickly, I might not come until 7cm or until active labor has been adequately established by your team.

-History of Precipitous Birth. If you have had previous quick, or precipitous, births, I will most likely join you earlier on. Again, communication is key. If things start moving quickly for you at all, contact me and I will boogie your way.