Planning for the best photos: Home Birth Edition

In between the doctor appointments, reading baby books, taking the childbirth education classes, and the never-ending to-do lists of tasks that “must” get done before your babe arrives, prepping your birth space can fall by the wayside. You hired your midwife, your doula and your birth photographer - now there’s just a few more considerations before your big day.

Light

While a dark space is often ideal for the birthing person, and helps to foster physiologic birth with the calm and quiet it brings, SOME light is necessary for your photographer to document and deliver the best images of this amazing moment.

Cameras NEED light to function. The available light enters the lens, going through layers of glass to redirect it to a single point, creating a sharp image on the sensor. Without light, or with minimal light, the available image is soft (not sharply focused) grainy (when it looks like it’s made up of lots of colored dots/spots versus a smooth/clean image) or potentially, there’s no image at all! While I have invested in professional camera equipment, I’m not a wizard, and the more light that’s available, the better your birth photos will turn out!

What can you do to ensure that the lighting is ideal for photographs?

-Talk with your photographer! Some birth photographers don’t like to utilize a flash, but many do (myself included), and this can help tremendously with low light birth spaces.
-Turn on the hallway lights or bathroom light (ideally all the bulbs should be the same type so that the light “temperature” is consistent throughout the birth space to keep skin tones looking their best!)
-Invest in sheer curtains to allow daytime light to diffuse nicely and allow the room to brighten up while keeping your privacy in mind
-Use LED candles in the space to create that intimate feeling
-Hang up rope lights or twinkle lights! White lights are preferred over color lights!
-If you’re utilizing a birth pool, lay waterproof battery operated rope lights under the liner

A postpartum image taken in a dark room without flash

A postpartum image taken in a dark room with flash

The Birth Space

Be intentional in choosing your birth space and arranging it. You already decided to give birth at home, where you’re more comfortable and relaxed, which is a great start - you can also design your birth space to be extra inviting and calming.

-Display your birth affirmations or encouragements from friends and family
-Display fresh flowers or artwork that speaks to you
-Use aromatherapy in your birth space - an oil diffuser is a great tool during birth
-Create a nest of your favorite blankets and pillows
-If you’re using a birth pool, place it in the middle of the room so there’s space on all side for your birth team to move around. This is especially helpful for me during the moment of birth so that I can find the best angle to document your babe coming earth side, and not be “stuck” in one position that may not be ideal!
-Remove unnecessary furniture and clean up clutter to keep the space easily accessible for you and your birth team

You

When you hired me to document your birth, you hired me for all the candid, raw, honest and real moments. I’m here for it all, and you’re perfect just the way you are! Your unique style and personality WILL shine through in your photos - here are some things to consider before the big day (and remember, birth is unpredictable, and you may decide in the moment you want something completely different than planned, and that’s okay!)

-Do you want to have your hair up, or loose? In a braid or bun?
-Do you want to labor topless, or wear a cute sports bra, or lacy bralette? If you’re more modest and want to be able to share your birth photos without nudity, aim for a darker color top versus a white one that may be slightly see through (especially if it gets wet). Whatever you do decide to wear - something that is easy to remove/access if you’re choosing to breastfeed is ideal!
-Having a comfy robe handy to slip into if you get chilled is also a good idea!
-Your midwife will probably tell you how many towels they’d like you to have on hand - it’s incredibly helpful if they are all the same color! White is the best option (and easy to bleach/sanitize afterwards!)

Your Partner

While this is YOUR birth and documenting it as it occurred and in an honest light - some things to consider are:

-Does your partner usually wear a hat? If so, it might be a good idea to ditch it for the birth. Hats can cast shadows on faces and make it difficult for me to capture that “first look” and the excitement and love that pours out!
-Does your partner usually wear shirts with logos or slogans on them? If so, and that IS their personality, that’s great - BUT something to consider, is that some designs can be pretty distracting in photos. They may want to go for a solid tee, or even a button up (for easy skin to skin access after babe arrives)
-Will they be getting in the birth pool with you? Being prepared with a bathing suit, or undies that aren’t full of holes is chef’s kiss. As much as I’m okay with human bodies and nudity during births, I’d prefer to avoid below the waist nudity in others (obviously the birthing person can do whatever they feel comfortable doing!)

Did you have an amazing tip that made your home birth photos extra amazing? Tell me about it in the comments!