PREGNANCY, birth and special moments with your children can come and go in an instant. But, in such a fast-paced world, parents are starting to take the time to capture and cherish these fleeting moments through a growing photography movement specialising in maternity and birth photography.
For some, the thought of a camera and photographer in the birthing suite can be confronting, but mother-of-three and former world kiteboarding champion Rebecca Colefax says it’s something mums-to-be are asking for.
“My mother once said to me, blink and you’ll miss it,” Rebecca said. “I absolutely have to agree. I look at my little 9-year-old and I think, my gosh I blinked. It’s amazing how time goes so fast through the busyness of life and everyday activity.”
Rebecca said her entire life changed when she became a mother for the first time, choosing to give away her successful kiteboarding career to focus on family-life.
“It’s so amazing to be a mother. It really changes you,” she said. “I love that I can now share my passion with my children.”
Rebecca, who shot her first wedding on film when she was 19, said birth photography was all about capturing and documenting the passing moments in what can be a highly emotional time.
“I love capturing moments, moments that are just so fleeting you would miss it,” she said.
“I love that connection the photographs trap.
“Sometimes it can get intense when mum is entering a state of stress or things aren’t going well, but I’m like a fly on the wall.
“My previous clients have often said to me they didn’t even know I was there. The women and their partners are so focussed on being together through their journey, they don’t even notice me.”
Birth photography offers parents a chance to look back and relive the experience of birth.
“I take the photos so families can enjoy the moment. Dad doesn’t have to worry about picking up the camera to try and get some photos for mum,” she said.
“They can relax and be together and enjoy that moment of connection.”
Rebecca has photographed many births and said, while some mothers can feel pressure to have a certain type of birth, every birth is a whole new experience.
“Every single birth I go to is different and every single journey is different,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how you birth, it’s not important. It’s only important the baby is well and the mother is well and their connection is growing.”
Rebecca said she understood that birth photography wasn’t for everyone, but parents could choose to have the first 48 hours of baby’s life, a mother’s pregnancy or the first few precious weeks photographed instead.
“I love pregnancy photo sessions as it allows the mother-to-be to realise just how beautiful she is in a time when she’s probably not feeling that way,” she said.
“But what I love most is that in today’s world, everyone has a choice. It’s great we can choose to have a birth photographed if we want,” she said. “I think it’s great we have the power of choice.”
