Hiring a professional photographer to take close-up shots of your baby being born is the latest trend to arise out of the digital revolution and social media — transforming a traditionally behind-closed-doors event into something to be captured on camera and shared with a wider audience.
Demand for birth photography is just starting to catch on in Toronto, Canada but it is a booming business in the U.S. My birth photography session can go anywhere from $300 to $1,000.
The details of the shoot are determined beforehand to make sure clients are more comfortable with the birth experience. Some people want all the gory details but most don’t. They want to be able to share these photos with their father-in-law so I’m discreet about shooting body parts and creative in hiding nudity. Facial expressions are key.
Since birth photography is a relatively new phenomenon in Toronto, hospitals here typically don’t have policies in place to deal with requests for it. Most of the hospital staff don’t have any issues with having a professional photographer in the delivery room, as long as we don’t hinder anything else going on in the room.
When it comes to shooting client’s caesarian section, a permission from the woman’s surgeon and anesthesiologist is required. In this case I capture moments such as the baby being taken out of mom, him being cleaned off and meeting mom for the first time.