I know you’re tired of saying it. I’m definitely sure you’re tired of hearing about it. It’s everywhere. COVID-19. Every corner you turn there is a worried voice, a curbside pickup, a scary post, and even memes mentioning coronavirus in some way. It has changed our current world in more ways than I could have imagined, and even more importantly, it has changed the world for the children that are about to be born. Don’t worry, mamas. It will not defeat us.

Things have changed tremendously in my tiny corner of the world in South Louisiana. Hospitals are rightfully limiting visitors on campuses for safety. This means that your family, doula and birth photographer are no longer allowed to be with you more often than not. I can not imagine how that must feel. I understand planning something so personal and intimate to only have to change last minute. While I realize nothing I can type or FaceTime can take the place of a professional, I do believe that it can help make birth-y lemonade out of coronavirus lemons for you.

These are 5 tips and resources for photographing your own empowering birth story.

Take advantage of all the light that you have.

1 - Light is singlehandedly the most important aspect of photography. The amount of light let into the camera determines so much of how each capture tells the story. As a photographer, my job is to manipulate my equipment to adjust the light and depth of field to let light into my camera to tell a beautiful story.

It is no secret that oxytocin loves the dark. Contractions pick up the more comfortable you are. The darker the room, the less distraction and those contractions will pick up. HOWEVER, make sure you use whatever light you have at your disposal. I do not recommend the flash on your phone or camera. These flashes beam an aggressive light straight onto the subject that will, quite honestly, ruin the image. If you have to use a flash and you have a DSLR camera, opt for an “off camera flash”. I will post a link to an affordable flash down below. This flash mounts on the camera and you can change the direction the light shines. Why is this important? We don’t want to blind you all. We want the light to fill the room and bounce around. How do you do this? You angle the flash towards a wall or ceiling. Bounce that flash towards something else so the light rays bounce from wall to wall. It creates a much softer flash that doesn’t turn your subjects stark white.

So what if you don’t have a DSLR camera? Use any natural light or room light you have. Open those blinds completely for a Fresh 48. Take photos right near the window. Trust me. It creates some of the dreamiest images on the planet. What if it 2AM? Well, make sure you don’t block the light in the room. Whether it be a bathroom light or an overhead light, make sure whomever is manning the camera is not stepping in front of those light rays.
Flash option HERE

Practice, Practice, Practice.

2 - Practice any chance you have. Photograph your children, pets, flowers, clouds… anything. You don’t have to try and turn pro day in and day out, but try different things and different angles. Some simple things to remember:

•Don’t shoot “up the nose”. This is the most common mistake I see. Holding the camera pointed up the nostrils is an unflattering angle on anyone. It isn’t just the nose factor. It’s the angle as a whole that is so unflattering. It isn’t flattering to babies’ delicate features or to mamas. Try holding your camera or phone straight onto the person or a slight downward angle. This usually involves bending to adjust your height to the person sitting or laying down. It is pretty uncomfortable, but it makes such a difference.

•Try to embrace the candid moments. Time and time again, the images my clients love the most are the moments I call “in between moments”. The moment right after breathing in the baby smell. The crinkle of a nose right at the end of a laugh. The little candy you sneaked in as a treat right after baby is born. The silly socks you wore just for the birth. Those little moments of people not smiling straight at a camera tend to hold more weight than posing everyone.

Notice the angle is not photographing up her little nose.

Bonus tip: Don’t forget the details. Eyelashes, fingers, toes, fine baby hairs… all of it.

Remember to take video.

3 - This is much tougher than you think. Pictures, sure. That is pretty much engrained in us all. Video? It leaves the mind so easily. “Why didn’t we get that first cry?” or “I forgot about the little sounds our baby made those first 24 hours”. As much as I love photos, sometimes video really does such a sweet job telling the full story. I even had a mom recently that video updated her entire family because they were not allowed in the hospital due to the virus scare. Every single one of those updates will probably be in the birth video. You will never regret videoing.

Research the resources that are available in our area to equip and serve you in your birth.

4 - We have so many resources right now for mamas. Doulas all over the area are offering virtual services for those mothers that are not able to have their support. Reach out. See what they have. Childbirth classes and even FaceTime doula support are available. These women are longing to make sure you feel strong and safe and peaceful in your birth. They are willing to do whatever it takes. Here is a list (I will add to it as more doulas reach out with their info). Please reach out and discuss with them what they have to offer to help your heart, mind and body with your birth journey.

Ali Wiggins Birth & Postpartum Doula

Bella Birth and their Facebook

Don’t forget that the new local Birth Center is also an option. Here is their Facebook as well. This is an excellent option for those that might want to shift their birth plans altogether. I think this is a priceless resource we are now blessed with since we have prayed and ached for a birth center here for years.

Brittany O’Quinn of Glory Birth Services helping with pain management.

Leave the time consuming part for someone else.

5 - So you have all the photos and videos… how do you preserve them? Guys, it takes a lot of time to edit a birth story. What people see of me is only a fraction of the work I actually do. I would highly recommend you ask if a birth photographer you love and trust is offering their editing services for hire. I decided that this is the very least I can do. If you love my work and style, please know that I would be honored to be hired by you. While I can’t guarantee image and video quality (all of that is controlled by the equipment capabilities and the person behind the camera), I can do my best and finest to make sure that my style and vision for your birth story are used to weave your birth story as beautifully as I can. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested. I’m sure many other photographers are willing to do the same.

I hope your birth is beautiful. The last two clients I photographed, before the stay at home order, told me again and again how special this time was. The distractions were so small and there was so much rest. They were able to soak in their new additions in a very new and deeply intimate way than they expected. Yes, this will be different, but it can also be so precious and dear. I wish you all the best.

XO, Erika