This passion project has turned into my greatest love- documenting the miracle of birth. My desire to capture birth started in 2017 when I was invited to photograph a home birth. I was excited and nervous and really had no idea what I was coming into. I had no kids of my own yet so I had very little experience. My heart opened up to the idea birth as I began to face the fears and misconceptions I had. Come to find out it is nothing like what you see in the movies and is actually one of the most incredibly powerful miracles that can happen in a person’s life. The more I learned the more I fell in love with birth and I realized this is an area of photography that I wanted to pursue. I had my first child in 2018, and after that experience I was hooked and knew without a doubt that this is where I wanted to be.
After 2018 my experiences have grown immensely as I’ve worked with families that choose hospital births (unmedicated & medicated), home births, and unassisted births. The relationships built have taken me from being in the background hidden behind a lens to being up close and intimately connected to the families lives forever. It has taught me how to love on mothers well and show them the support they need in their most vulnerable state. I leave every birth with a sense of gratitude and awe at the power of mothers and nothing compares to the feeling of seeing a baby come into this world.
People ask me all the time- Why would you want to photograph something like that?
My answer- Why wouldn’t you want one of the most important moments of your life captured?
My passion for birth comes because it is about so much more than just having a baby. I’m there to capture the emotional journey of surrendering to the change that a new baby will bring. I’m there to capture the mental journey of using every tool you have to cope with each wave that brings you closer to meeting your baby. I’m there to capture the physical journey of holding onto your significant other as your doula pushes on your back and your midwife tells you how amazing you’re doing. I’m there to capture the spiritual journey of tapping into a higher strength you didn’t know you had and the relief that comes when you meet your baby for the first time.
I believe with the right support and a healthy mindset, a birth experience can be one of the most beautiful moments in a persons life. It’s a sacred space between heaven & earth and being part of it has forever changed me for the better.