1. Be prepared.
Packing your camera bag for a birth story is very similar to a wedding day. Sometimes birth stories can take even longer than a wedding day. Pack extra memory cards, extra batteries, your phone charger, your camera charger, your back up body, snacks, and water.
2. Be on your toes.
A birth story can be very slow, but it can also change in an instant. Have your camera out, correctly metered and ready to go at all times. I’ve had moms that push for four hours and moms that push twice. Camera should be in ready position with every single push.
3. Stay out of the way.
There are nurses, doctors and family members everywhere. As soon as it’s time to start pushing, the room fills up and your space is very limited. Ask the nurse where you’re allowed to stand and stay there.
4. Details, Details, Details.
Capture all of those fun labor room details. You aren’t just there to capture the birth, but the entire day from beginning, middle to end. Make sure to get the door number, the clipboard, the book she’s reading, the phone she’s using, the app he’s playing, the machines, etc.
5. Follow the Baby.
After the baby is born, follow the baby for all the first measurements, footprints, and snuggling.
6. Quick Return Time
These parents are usually dying to share their new baby with their friends and family. My goal is to return all the photos within a week and at least one sneak peek in the first 24 hours. My average turn around time is 24-48 hours.
In order to make this possible, I created a Lightroom preset called “birth” for all my birth photos. After I apply the “birth” preset, it only takes a few minutes to make the minor adjustments. (You can find in my 2014 Lightroom Preset Pack!)
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I USE?
I shoot with the 5D Mark iii, Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art and Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art lens. Since I do not use flash or any artificial light, I rely on the great low light capabilities of my camera body and the wide aperture on my lenses for beautifully lit photos.
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Birth Story Photography Tips
Kylee Ann Maughan is a family and international brand photographer based in small-town Northern Utah. She has been a business owner for 13.5 years, and also runs a successful and award-winning associate team. Kylee hosts semi-annual retreats, speaks at conferences and teaches online courses about running a small business and marketing. Her niche in coaching is helping moms turn their passion into profit, while being the mom they dream of.
January 22, 2016
Kylee Maughan
