Is a Birth Photographer Worth it?

There are many great reasons to hire a birth photographer, but are you wondering if hiring a birth photographer is really worth it? Will your partner be onboard with hiring a professional to photograph your birth? I know firsthand how it can feel like an unnecessary splurge when your partner could just take a few iPhone snaps. Or maybe others might say to you, “You want someone to photograph that?!?”

However, you can rest assured with these three reasons (and a bonus reason) that hiring a birth photographer is indeed a very good idea.

1. Hiring a professional birth photographer ensures that you actually get some beautiful photos of one of the most important days of you life!

Just like a wedding, the birth of your child is one of the most important days of your life. And just like a wedding photographer, a birth photographer is equally important. They know how to capture all the important moments, especially under difficult circumstances. A trained or certified birth photographer understands how to take amazing photos with all sorts of crazy lighting situations that happen during birth. It can be hard to capture quality photos during birth! Birth photographers also have specialty gear and even backup gear, because you never know how long a birth may be! Birth photographers are trained to know how to photograph you in a discreet, yet flattering way. They are also familiar with birth in general, so they know what moments to capture. (i.e. the first moment you see and hold your new baby). This is what makes them an expert and totally worth it rather than getting a friend with a good camera or having your husband/partner try to get some good shots.

2. Hiring a professional birth photographer allows you and your partner to be fully present.

If you partner is fumbling around with a camera, they might miss experiencing the moment with you. Or you might not get some of the special moments you wanted captured because your partner was assisting you. And…by the way…don’t you want photos of your partner as well? They were there too and a big part of the birth! So shouldn’t they be in the photos as well?!?

3. Hiring a professional birth photographer helps you remember all the important details, instead of just a blur.

The first time I gave birth, it was a bit traumatic. I was induced and labored for 17 hours. Let me tell you, it was all a blur. When I go back and look at my photos taken by a professional birth photographer, it helps me to remember the good things of the birth.

My second birth was FAST! My daughter was born four hours after I arrived at the hospital. When I look at those photos, they help me to remember the details. It was also a blur, since it just flew by! A professional birth photographer will artfully tell your birth story through images that you will cherish forever. 

Bonus: Having professional birth photos is a gift to pass down from generation to generation.

My kids love to look at their birth album and see what they looked like on the day they were born. They love to see the moment I held them for the first time and how tiny they were. Can you image how powerful it would be if you had photos of your own mother holding you for the first time looking at you with obvious amazement in her eyes? Or the first time your dad saw you and held you? Or can you image seeing images of your grandmother holding your mother for the first time? What an amazing gift to pass down to your children and your children’s children! This alone makes a birth photographer worth it.

Having a birth photographer is SO worth it. You’ll have great photos, you’ll be fully present with your partner, and you’ll remember the important details of your birth story. The first time you hold your baby only happens once! That’s what a professional birth photographer specialized in: the first look, the first moment, the first embrace. Hiring a professional birth photographer will make sure that you have theses moments captured forever. 

If you are still worried about your birth photographer taking pictures of “that,” know that most birth photographers don’t take crowning images unless you specifically ask them to. This is something that you would discuss in your consultation.

Ready to book?

Fill out my form to start the process/check availability in my calendar for your estimated due date! (I take a limited number of births each month.) We will meet for a no-pressure consultation either in-person at a coffee shop (coffee/tea on me) or via zoom to see if we are a good fit! And if not, I’m connected to several other local Seattle professional birth photographers that I can recommend.

If you are located somewhere other than Seattle and the greater Puget Sound area, check out the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP) to find a birth photographer near you! Also, If you live in Indiana and are looking for a doula, no need to look further than here: Indianapolis Doulas.

And if you’re still not sure about birth photography, that’s okay too! 😉