Atlanta Birth Photographer | The Importance of Discretion

September 26, 2015 in BIRTH

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 Photographer | Is flash bad for baby eyes?

February 25, 2014 in BIRTH

One of the most common questions that I am asked about my birth photography in Atlanta is whether or not I use a flash. The answer: only if I absolutely have to, and NEVER once baby has been born. I do not use a direct flash. If you don't know what that is, it's basically what you have on your camera that pops up from the top and flashes directly at the subject. As you probably already know, direct flash is blinding and often washes out the photo completely.

However, during birth I do sometimes use a bounced flash. For example, during a waterbirth in a dark room, I might need to bounce my flash off the ceiling or wall with a diffuser to capture the baby crowning and coming out. It all depends on the lighting conditions of the labor room and the photos that the parents want to have. Some parents don't want crowning shots, some do. A lot of factors come into play when making decisions about how to best capture images in the different stages. Regardless of the lighting conditions, I never have my flash pointed directly at the mother. I can't think of anything worse than trying to concentrate during a contraction and having a bright light flashing in my face randomly with no warning. Part of my job as a birth photographer is to respect the birthing space and be as unobtrusive as possible so the mother can progress well and not feel interrupted or annoyed.

There's no way to predict what the lighting situation will be at a birth since some mothers prefer to labor with the lights turned low, while others want lights. My job as a birth photographer is to work with the existing environment and be flexible. Sometimes the lighting situation will change multiple times during a labor. If I had a dollar for every time a nurse or midwife flipped a light switch on or off during the time I cover a birth... well, I'd be rich!

When the baby is born, my flash is tabled completely. The research states that flash isn't actually harmful to the eyes of newborns, but I just don't think it's necessary to put them through that. I have the experience and the training to photograph the moments after birth without needing to use my flash. Besides, your baby just came from a safe, warm, and dark place. A flash would just be invasive and disturb them. I'd much rather use the other continuous lighting options that I carry with me!

As you can see from the photo above, I don't need to use flash to get beautiful photos of a minutes old baby! It was actually quite dark in this room, but since I shoot with a full frame camera and am experienced with the best settings for low light environments, I simply made a few quick adjustments and captured baby's measurements in a non invasive way for all present.

Most babies spend time on their mom's chest after their birth and open their eyes to look around. There are so many sweet moments that can be captured, and the last thing I want to do is upset a brand new baby (or mother!) with a harsh flash that disturbs them or makes them cry. They've already had a tough journey to earth side!

Another major reason that I don't use flash after the baby is born is illustrated in my image below.

This little one opened their eyes and spent time looking around and taking in their environment. I wouldn't have been able to get photos of this baby with their eyes open without causing them to squint or just refuse to open their eyes to avoid the flash entirely.

I hope this has answered any questions you may have had regarding my use of flash in birth photography! If you live in the Atlanta area and are looking for a birth photographer, I would love to chat more with you about my services.

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 | Why I hired a birth photographer

February 07, 2014 in BIRTH

I had my first daughter, Lily, in a waterbirth in 2011. It was a wonderful experience, but there are hardly any pictures. Birth photography wasn't really a "thing" here in Atlanta so I didn't know of any photographers offering the service. Plus, I didn't have any photographer friends who could just drop everything and come to my labor and delivery whenever it actually happened. So I decided that I would just set my camera to automatic and have our doula take photos when she could.

Doulas provide support to moms in labor, so I don't have very many good photos of my labor process. I so wish that I did, but my doula supporting me was the priority. I needed my doula to do the job I had hired her to do. If she had been taking photos, she wouldn't have been able to do that. Once our daughter was born, our doula grabbed our camera and did the best she could. We knew she wasn't a professional photographer and didn't have high expectations at all. We have some very sweet photos from the day, and since I'm a professional photographer with editing software I was able to edit the photos.

When I saw the photos that my doula took for us with my camera, I thought to myself "I'm so happy that I at least have something to look back on and show my daughter someday." I also thought, "Gosh, I wish a professional birth photographer had been an option, because there are so many things and small details about Lily and that day that will fade in my memory." Make no mistake, I am not criticizing our doula! She never presented herself as being a professional photographer of any sort and I didn't have high expectations. Even if she HAD been a professional photographer and doula, she wouldn't have been able to get any more photos since I needed her support so much.

What your baby looks like minutes after being born is hard to freeze in your mind. They change so quickly, even in the first couple of hours! Since I was recovering from labor and delivery and enjoying my sweet new baby, getting up and taking all of those small detail shots wasn't an option for me. A birth photographer would have been able to capture all of that for me.

I attended my first birth in 2012 as a birth photographer for a dear friend, and I absolutely loved it. I realized that this was something that I wanted to offer, but I just wasn't at a place in my life where I could offer birth photography here in Atlanta due to having a one year old and another on the way.

Between the births of my daughters, birth photographers became available in Atlanta. I decided to hire one for the birth of our second child, and I'm so, so, so glad I did! Our doula returned for round two and was glad to have the weight of photographing our birth off of her shoulders so she could solely focus on supporting us. Having a separate person dedicated to each role was important to me, because I did not want to risk any precious photo opportunities being missed. Birth cannot be reshot!

I look at the images from Violet's birth and they take me back to those first moments with her. I look at her features frozen in the photographs and can remember exactly how cute her little nose was, her little fingers, her little toes. Even better, I was able to share those photos with my grandmother, my mother, my sister, and my best friends. Looking at them allows them to feel like they were there when Violet entered our lives. I also love the photos of me holding my daughter. A professional knows how to shoot the post birth bonding photos from flattering angles. :)

Birth photography is my passion! I love nothing more than grabbing my gear bag in the middle of the night to get to a mom in labor. If you're considering birth photography for your birth in the Atlanta area, I would love nothing more than to talk with you more about being your birth photographer!! I've given birth to two children and know exactly what you'll be going through. I know how to respect your space while you're in labor while still getting beautiful images. I know the moments that you're going to want to remember years from now when your baby heads off to college or walks down the aisle, or welcomes their own baby into their arms. I consider it such an honor and privilege to be invited to document birth stories. Watch this 3 minute film and get an idea of what the experience is like with me as your photographer.

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