Atlanta Birth Photographer | The Importance of Discretion

I had a client ask me a question today when they came to the studio for their consultation for The Birth Session. It was a simple question. They asked me, "What makes you different from other birth photographers besides your shooting and editing style?" Obviously, there's not just ONE answer to that question, but I wanted to touch on one of the answers that I gave them because I think it's so important that anyone considering birth photography take the following into consideration - whether they're here in Atlanta looking for a birth photographer or not! 

When you hire me as your birth photographer you can take comfort in the fact you are hiring someone who understands the importance of discretion and respects your privacy - and places that at the forefront of your entire experience from beginning to end. 

(1) I won't share identifiable images of you or your baby online unless I am specifically requested to. I never identify clients by a searchable name on my website. Some of the names that I use aren't even the real names! It's a very small world. Would you want a future potential boss of yours or your husband to see your labor and delivery or private moments between your new family? These are things that new expectant parents don't think about. Once it's out there on the Internet, you can never erase it. 

(2) Your baby's private parts will never be shown in a photo, even if it's unidentifiable. Unfortunately, we live in a world where we have to worry about this. I see far too many birth photographers sharing photos with baby bits prominently shown. I am a mother of two little girls, so needless to say - seeing images violating the privacy of a minutes old baby saddens and angers me. 

(3)  I do not require a model release to hire me. There are some birth photographers that will NOT accept you as a client unless you sign a model release. This is their right as a business owner to require, but it's also your right as a client to have privacy. So, if privacy is important to you, make sure that a model release isn't required and that they will not share any images without your express permission. 

The truth is: I have so many amazing and emotional birth images that I would love for potential clients to see - but it's not my birth. It's yours. You, your partner, and your baby deserve the utmost privacy, respect, and discretion. Did you know that roughly 75% of my births are not shared online anywhere in any form?

(4) I never share links and passwords to birth films with inquiries or people who ask. I can tell you that I have run into midwives and doctors who were in attendance that ask if they can see the photos or video. I inform them that they must ask their patient and that I am not at liberty to share. Additionally, all potential clients who inquire must come to the studio to meet with me for a consultation.  These potential clients can then view birth films that I have been given permission to share - and they view them sitting right next to me on my iPad. There is no danger of your private moments being stolen and shared with the world. 

Ready to book your birth session? I am completely booked for 2015 and have already filled my calendar through March 2016!  Contact me today to schedule a consult for The Birth Session, and watch this short 1.5 minute film to see what the experience of working with me is like. I can't wait to meet you and capture one of the most amazing days of your life!

Lily Sophia Photography specializes in newborn, baby, maternity, and birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Birth Photography: The Timeline of Hiring a Birth Photographer

So many people who aren't familiar with birth photography here in Atlanta ask me what the general timeline of hiring a birth photographer is. So, I wrote this blog post specifically to address this. Please note that the way I run Lily Sophia Photography is not necessarily the way other birth photographers run their businesses!

Before we get started, let's think back to when you were planning your wedding. Hiring a birth photographer is not unlike hiring a wedding photographer: you are hiring someone to cover one of the most monumental events of your lives together as a couple. When you were looking for a wedding photographer, you probably spent lots of time online browsing through portfolios until you found a photographer whose style you absolutely loved. 

When you are looking for a birth photographer, finding one or two whose style you love is important. This is then when you ask the following questions to help narrow down your final decision: Are their photos crisp? Is the photographer good at capturing the story?

Keep in mind that many photos may be missing from the stories on their website galleries in order to respect the wishes of client privacy. I have permission to share full births from some clients with potential clients at my consultations, but was asked not to share certain photos on the Internet for the whole world to see. I do not send the passwords to my galleries to potential clients I haven't met. When I show a full gallery, it is at my consultation on my iPad. This ensures that no screenshots would be taken and shared with Internet strangers.

That's another important question to ask: Will the birth photographer you are thinking of hiring respect your wishes for certain photos to not be shared? Does the photographer have several different births in their galleries? Does the photographer offer backup service in case of an emergency on their end? How many births a month does the photographer accept? If the answer is a high number, you may want to consider someone else, since high volume means the photographer will have less time to devote to each client and the chance of them missing your birth due to another client being in labor at the same time is increased.

Communication is also vital. Questions to ask: Is the photographer easily reachable? Does the photographer respond to you quickly? Does the photographer answer questions in a clear and concise way? 

Are their photos something you would want to have in an album or displayed in your home? Do they offer high quality products such as albums, wall prints, etc? 

The next step is to contact the photographer to find out if they have availability for your birth month. I have had clients contact me as early as the first trimester. I accept a small and limited number of births per month in order to give my clients the attention they deserve. The sooner a client contacts me, the better. If your photographer of choice is already booked for your month, they may be able to refer you to other birth photographers in your area that are similar in style. Booking early will guarantee you a spot with your chosen photographer. Unlike weddings, you only have 9 months to plan and you can't change the date to work with photographer availability!

Is all lost if you're due this month? Nope! Some clients contact me later in their pregnancies. I've had a client who contacted me the week before her due date, and I was able to work with her because I had availability in my schedule. However, please note that this is NOT the way to go if you know you definitely want a birth photographer to be there and available for you! 

Before you book with your photographer, it's SO important to meet with them! If a photographer isn't willing to take the time to meet with you in person before booking, please find someone else. You are inviting someone to be with you during some of your most vulnerable, special, and important moments. Is this person going to be someone who respects you, your partner, and your space? Are you going to get along well with this person? Is your partner going to like this person? Personality fit is such a HUGE part of the birth photographer selection process. It is precisely why I meet with all potential clients considering booking me for a complimentary consultation.

At your meeting with the photographer, this is the time to ask questions and get to know each other! If your photographer walks in and can't engage in a conversation, they're probably not someone you want with you during labor. If the photographer is loud and overbearing, you probably won't want them in the room either.

During your meeting, ask yourself if you feel like this is a person you want in the room with you while you labor and give birth. At my consultations, I bring my camera equipment with me so that my clients can see exactly what I work with. I demonstrate how my equipment works and answer any questions they may have. I bring the price list for my different collections, and I also bring the different products offered with each collection. This enables my clients to see and touch everything and decide what the best fit is for them. I truly want my clients to feel comfortable with me, and for us to mesh well. After this initial consultation, if you and your partner know that this is the photographer you want, you will sign your birth photography contract. 

My clients choose their birth collection at booking, and always have the option to upgrade later if they decide they want to. Every birth photographer will have different terms and conditions for their services. My terms and conditions are that nonrefundable retainer is due at the signing of the contract, and the rest of the balance is due by week 38 of pregnancy. Many choose to break up the payments rather than pay one lump sum. Some of my clients have also had family and friends want to contribute to their birth photography costs, and I do offer a complimentary gift registry!

Clients who book me will spend some time with me around their 34th week of pregnancy when I visit them for our their prenatal consult. All of my birth packages include this prenatal consult! I spend time with my clients going over their birth plan and any photography preferences they may have. I am also available via email and text at any point after they book me for any questions that come up, or if they just want to say hi. My clients can expect to hear from me several times before I come to their birth.  I care deeply about those I work with, so I choose to invest my time in them so I can provide clients with excellent service and personal attention.

That's the general recommended timeline for hiring a birth photographer, and the way that Lily Sophia Photography works when it comes to birth photography services in Atlanta. 

If you are considering reserving The Birth Session, contact me right away. I meet with all interested couples in my studio for a no obligation consultation for about an hour. Birth photography is a personal experience and an investment: be confident in your choice! 

Lily Sophia Photography specializes in newborn, baby, maternity, and birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Birth Photographer | The Waterbirth of Brooks at Atlanta Medical Center with Intown Midwifery

The lead up to this birth was an exciting one! Atlanta experienced a wild ice storm, and I was on pins and needles hoping that baby boy would hold off his arrival so that I could make it to the birth. As an Atlanta birth photographer, snow and ice aren't something I have to contend with very often! I had my backup plan of taking MARTA or just walking to the hospital if necessary. The main concern was that his parents would be able to make the trek to the hospital from their home! Baby boy decided to cooperate with all of our hopes, and I got the call the evening of January 29. It was a little icy on the roads to the hospital, but nothing I couldn't handle. 

This couple was a Bradley couple expecting their second child. They were patients of Intown Midwifery, and delivered at Atlanta Medical Center in a waterbirth. When I arrived, mom was laughing and smiling and continued to do so all the way up to transition. Her husband was a wonderful support to her, and it was awesome to watch them labor together. She was a rock star as she managed to work through her contractions and hold off of pushing long enough to finish her antibiotics. Once that IV drip was done, she wasted no time in delivering her sweet boy! Baby Brooks was born at 10:46 PM and was an 8 pound bundle of squishy perfection. 

If you are considering reserving The Birth Session, contact me right away. I meet with all interested couples in my studio for a no obligation consultation for about an hour. Fill out this form here to get started. Birth photography is a personal experience and an investment: be confident in your choice! 

Atlanta Birth Photographer | Kaelen's Waterbirth

This birth was such a special one because it was out of state, and because the couple chose to wait until their baby was born to find out if they had a son or daughter! I love births when the parents don't know because it's so exciting to find out at the end if it's a boy or girl!

I got the call that mom was in labor, and drove 4 hours from Atlanta to Fort Mill, SC to a free standing birth center to photograph this birth. I arrived right after mom and dad did at around 2 PM, and mom was already in the tub laboring. She was in the zone managing her contractions, so I quietly set up and starting taking photos.

This was a Bradley couple and they had also hired a doula to assist them. Dad was super supportive of mom and was in and out of the tub holding her, putting cold washcloths on her head and neck, and just being a strong and silent supporter. I was so impressed with the love and dedication he showed to his wife as they worked hard to deliver their baby. In the births that I have attended, I would say this one was probably one of the most difficult labors I have seen, but this couple rocked it!

Women in labor are so, so, so beautiful to me. They are doing one of the most physically difficult yet most rewarding things a woman can do. They're bringing a new life into the world. As a birth photographer, to be present in the room documenting this process always humbles me. It's such an honor to be invited, and I don't take it for granted.

The contractions were very strong in mom's back, so it was not a comfortable labor for her. Since her water had not broken, baby was taking time to descend. Eventually, mom left the tub to labor outside of it for a while, and her water broke then, finally bringing the baby down. After 4 hours of pushing, mom delivered at 6:30 PM, and found out she had a SON! A beautiful 9 pound 11 ounce baby boy measuring at 21 inches long. The name they chose was Kaelen, which means "Warrior". He's too little to know if he'll live up to the meaning of his name, but his mama certainly was! 

If you are considering reserving The Birth Session, contact me right away. I meet with all interested couples in my studio for a no obligation consultation for about an hour. Fill out this form here to get started. Birth photography is a personal experience and an investment: be confident in your choice! 

Lily Sophia Photography specializes in newborn, baby, maternity, and birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.

Atlanta Birth Photographer | 5 Reasons to Hire a Birth Photographer

One of my fantastic colleagues in the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers wrote an article titled "5 Reasons to Hire a Birth Photographer". I thought it was perfect to share with anyone considering birth photography! If you're looking for a birth photographer in the Atlanta area or just have questions, please contact me! 

As a side note, I'd love it if you'd become a blog follower to keep up with the latest and greatest at Lily Sophia Photography!

Post by Lily Sophia Photography.

Lily Sophia Photography specializes in newborn, baby, maternity, and birth photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.