Okay, so what are the most memorable events in a person’s life? I saw a list once of the most iconic and memorable events in a person’s life. I wish I could find that list! Mostly they were the “coming of age” events, for example, your first steps, learning to ride a bike, driving a car for the first time, buying a first car… These are the kind of events that I feel everyone should have photographs of – and it probably wouldn’t hurt to get a pro for any of them that you can schedule. We all know about weddings, in fact the truth is most people won’t take you seriously as a photographer if you’re not a wedding shooter, despite the fact that there are many other types of photography. I want to specialize in Family, Trash the Dress, Grads – events that are all about the experience. The fact that a lot of people (including my husband) barely remember their own wedding but do remember a lot of other striking events in their lives is a big one to me personally.
My own wedding photos have mostly been collecting dust. (Metaphorically of course, they’re in my computer.) That’s exactly what happens to a lot of other people’s wedding photos, too. Weddings always seem so big at the time, but they diminish fast like the pet rock fad. But my family photos are photos I look at and treasure.
That’s why I’ve always wondered what it would be like to photograph a birth. Baby photos are some of the most treasured photographs. I know people take a million photos of their own newborn, nearly everyone does that, but the actual birth scenario is different. That first look between parent and newborn is something else, capturing the love in that moment would be so captivating.
Today I stumbled across an article where someone else asked the same question, and a number of unexpectedly beautiful slideshows popped up. I especially liked this post by Pamela Oliveras of a birth she shot on New Year’s Eve, and this more expansive slideshow by Jennifer Chaney. So apparently the best rule to follow is that closeups in black and white are the best.
If anyone is interested in photography of their birth and has hospital permission (or is doing a home birth), I’d be interested in trying to be there at the right time! =)
Inspiration:
CAUTION, many of these images are intense, and NSFW.
A photographer’s son is born
Lynsey’s Birth Photography
