THE EXPERIENCE

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 Let's be honest, labour and birth is not pretty, it's not fun and it's very messy, so why would you possibly want to share that intimate, and somewhat embarrassing moment with a stranger, and more importantly, photograph it! Well, because it's absolutely worth it, they'll be the most important photographs of your life! And we won't be strangers for long, and certainly won't be after. Bringing a life into the world is a miracle, and it should be captured. Although you're the highlight of the show, you will actually miss most of it. All of my clients say how much of a blur the whole experience was, and I'm sure you will feel the same. If you've already had a child before then you'll know what I'm talking about too.

So by having these photos, it will serve as a reminder, a memory, a keepsake, you will always have these to look back on and experience it all over again (minus the pain) and that's truly irreplaceable. ​When photographing a birth, my aim is to be as discreet as possible, I won't interfere with anything that's going on. I will stand out of the way and capture the moment from a distance rather than try and be another birthing partner, as that's the last thing you'll need I'm sure. However, if at any point you need me to help you in any way, I will be there as an extra pair of hands as well as documenting the amazing event.

But once you book, we will chat about boundaries in more detail. As you can see in my images, they can be quite graphic. Some couples don't mind me capturing every detail, whereas some prefer me to stay at the head and not get intimate images, this is totally your choice and again it's to be discussed upon booking. Where graphic areas are photographed, your dignity is my top priority (although I'm sure that'll go out of the window when you're in labour anyway). All images are displayed in a classy way, either covered, darkened or blurred. Your final images will never show you in a way you wouldn't be comfortable.​I don't just photograph the baby entering the world, I document the build up to that. The relationship between you and your birthing partner, the love, the pain, the emotion, the relief, and finally the ecstasy of seeing and holding your beautiful baby for the first time. I capture every detail from start to finish, the small things that you may not remember, but are all part of the adventure. I will be with you from around 5-6cm dilated, up until around an hour after baby has entered the world.​I will be on call for 4 weeks, 2 weeks either side of your due date, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I will be 100% dedicated to receiving the call. I will not book any other session into my diary during this time so I am ready to run out of the house and get to you as soon as possible. For this reason of not being able to carry out any of my other services (maternity, newborn, baby and cake smash photography), my birth photography diary is very limited. I can only schedule in 3 per year maximum, so booking me early is essential. After your 12 week scan would be ideal. My usual diary books up months in advance to last minute requests are not always possible, but get in touch and I'll see if we can work something out.​I do ask for a non refundable retainer of only £250,  the remaining balance must be paid 4 weeks prior to your due date. But I offer monthly instalments to help make things more affordable. If you cancel your birth photography within 8 weeks of due date, your additional payments to the deposit will be returned to you. Please be aware that the deposit is a non-refundable retainer and the deposit payment is legally a non-refundable retainer payment as renumeration for other work that is lost as a result of the retained date. In the very unlikely event I have to cancel, I will pay you back the deposit in full. I have up to the due date to refund you.