Why did you choose Birth Photography?
When my friends and family ask me, "Why did you choose Birth Photography?" I have a very long-winded answer for them, but for you, my readers, I will keep this as brief as I can make it!
Truthfully...I needed something unique, but inspiring as my final year project, in my Photography degree at University. So, I thought...birth photography. Let's give that a go! How hard could it be? I had seen a few local photographers dip their feet into this and have done such a breath-taking job (Jessica from Hummingbird Photography being one of them!) I knew it wasn't going to be easy, and I honestly didn't think I would get hooked! But here I am, offering Birth Photography to the women of Northern Ireland, because of the impression I have left on those mothers I helped in remembering their birth story, piecing together their final moments of pregnancy and capturing the awe of baby and parents for the first time. Not only that, but the reactions from other mothers that I'd received, wishing they had something like this available when they had their little ones, made being on-call for nearly three weeks at a time, having all my equipment ready and waiting, even packing an overnight bag with my favourite snacks... it has made it all worth the while every time my 'mums' remind me of the wonderful job I did for them.
What drives my passion is... Women should feel empowered through pregnancy and birth. Their story starts when they find out about their pregnancy. When they have their first scan. In my opinion, life begins in the earliest stages of pregnancy, and so does motherhood. Many women don't feel empowered or in control when they are in labour and when they give birth. BUT after they watch, and re-watch (and re-watch) their birth story slideshow that I have provided, they piece together HOW they birthed their child, with great emotional and physical strength, the ultimate 'body' sacrifice that they make to create such a beautiful little human being; the power of birth partners and their support system, not realising that everyone played a part in that baby being brought into the world; and love - from the first moments of your baby's life, you see and instantly feel that love grow even bigger that it has been when baby was inside of you.
It's these moments that make my answer so easy when I'm asked, 'Why did you choose birth photography?" Birth Photography can empower a mother in many ways that you may not understand, but you can take that special moment in your life and turn it into a lasting, intimate memory.