Award-winning Birth Photography

Mar 19

Woman in labor on hands and knees in hospital bed breathing through contractions, pregnant belly wrapped in monitors, her face silhouetted by light from equipment behind her

I’ve been working as a birth photographer in Philadelphia since 2016. I’m based in Philly, work with families here, and making my clients happy is really the thing I care about the most. So why enter an international photography competition?

Well, I can tell you why not to first. Photography is an art, and art is subjective. You’re never going to make art that pleases everyone. Something I tell my photographer mentees over and over is that first, you have you make sure you’re making art that makes you happy. Because an artist who’s chasing the impossible goal of “art for everyone” is a miserable artist. Second, if you’re an artist trying to make a living with your art, you need to make your clients happy. And by that, ideally, I mean you find people who love the art that you love making. Once you do that, you’ve basically won at making art, if that’s even a thing.

So then why enter an art competition?

4 of my photos placed in the top 20% in this year's International Association of Professional Birth Photographers Competition, out of thousands of submissions from all over the world!

As I said, art competitions feel weird because art is subjective, and birth art is especially personal between the photographer and their clients. But I always participate in the IAPBP every year. It was this annual image competition that first introduced me to birth photography when I was recovering from my own birth trauma. It's what first helped me imagine a different birth for myself because I could see how it was possible for others.

And of course it always feels nice to have my work recognized 🥰

So while I make my birth photography for my families first and foremost, I also put it out into the world in the hopes that maybe it will reach someone who didn't know they had options. And maybe they'll see themselves reflected in one of my images, like I did, and start to think they could hope for (and ask for, and demand) better.

Thank you IAPBP for putting the beauty of birth out into the world.

And the biggest thank you always to my amazing clients who not only welcome me into their birth spaces, but give me permission to share these most intimate moments with you all ❤️

Exhausted woman recovering in hospital bed from c-section birth covered in monitor wires holds her newborn baby skin to skin with dad's helping hand

Dad in surgical scrubs sits in hospital recovery area holding his newborn baby, giving him a finger to suck on for comfort, waiting for mom to come out of c-section birth

Whole family snuggles in bed together after home birth, new baby skin to skin with dad looking so proud at his son, daughter gently touches new sibling while mom smiles

I’m super proud and happy that these 4 photos got some love, but this last photo didn’t place this year, and I just love it so much. I can feel this moment, when my client was trying to breathe and relax in between contractions, the effort on her face, her partner holding space and breathing with her. The room bathed in light and shadow… it’s just a favorite of mine.

And THAT is the point. It is so nice to get external recognition for your photography, and there can be real value in submitting your work for critique. A photograph that might win a competition is not necessarily the one that you feel the most connected to, or that the family in the photos will love the most. At the core, you need to know what you love about the photographs you create, celebrate them, and share them.