Where to begin with this experience…

A birth story.  A relatively new idea in the photography world, and becoming more popular by the minute.  This is something that I have steered away from in my work for a few reasons.  #1.  Two kids, no family around, seriously hard to find a sitter than can be called on at any minute for an unknown amount of time.  #2. Technical difficulty… almost no control of the shoot.  I can’t control when, I can’t control how long, I can’t control the lighting, the list goes on.  #3.  Would it be weird?

Amber is my good friend and when she asked about me doing a birth story, I figured, if anyone to try it out on, might as well be a friend.  I knew she would forgive me if I didn’t do the most stellar job ever.  And so it was.

I was very correct about the lack of control.  Terrible lighting, unpredictable labor, hard to find a sitter (but totally lucked out and found one).

Weird?

No.

Not.  At.  All.

It was an amazing experience.

Though looking through the pictures, it was clear this was not my best technical work, but the emotion of these photos, and realizing what I was privileged to be a part of, kind of blew me away.  I kind of love that.  I love the story the pictures tell, how you can almost feel what they felt.  I love the progression you see in the pictures as her labor progressed and her baby boy entered this world and their family.  That is what photography should be all about.  Telling a story with no words because no words are needed.

Congratulations to the Gillespie family and thank you for letting me be there.

After completing this session, weighing the pros and the cons of working a birth story… Pros most definitely win.  Loved this.