Have you noticed how birth photography has really taken off in the last 5 years? Have you also noticed (I’ll just come right out and say it…) how expensive it is, and wondered WHY?

As a birth and fresh 48 photographer in McKinney, TX I get a lot of business and referrals from social media. Here’s something I see on FB groups all the time: “Looking for a birth photographer that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg”. First let me say this…I only take money. I don’t want any of your body parts (and I don’t know any photographers that do! Haha!) All joking aside, I really do understand that birth photography is an investment. But I want to help you understand a little bit of why that is and offer you an alternative if you decide that it’s truly not in your budget.

First, the why…

Let me be clear too…I do not believe anything can replace birth photos. Those moments are once in a lifetime, life altering, BIG moments that simply cannot be recreated, re-shot or competed with. That in and of itself is ton of pressure for your photographer. You’re expecting them to capture one of the most life changing things you’ll ever experience in an environment they have almost zero control over. Here are some other things to consider…

Your photographer has to be ready for poor lighting, unexpected circumstances, knowing how to get THE SHOT (you know the one…) and stay out of the way of your medical team. You need someone experienced that can anticipate with some accuracy where they need to be at each moment. Someone that knows delivery room etiquette. Having some knowledge of how the birth process works, and understanding birth terminology helps a lot!

Those are the types of things you can expect from an experienced birth photographer. You can also expect them to drop everything at a moments notice to attend your birth. They go “on call” and are committing to being with you for as much time, or even more time (much more) than your OB/midwife!

Try comparing it to wedding photography … most people would expect to pay a wedding photographer anywhere from $1200-$2K+ for their big day. A wedding photographer has the luxury of knowing which day they’ll be working, and for exactly how many hours. Wedding photographers will most certainly being working during waking hours.

Childbirth happens when it happens. Imagine getting up at 6:00 a.m. to start your day (whether you will be spending your day taking care of your children, or working outside the home) and finishing it out dog tired at 11:00 pm. Does anything feel better than crawling into that bed? It’s such a feeling of relief! Now imagine 30 minutes after you’ve drifted off to sleep, your boss calls and says “I need you to come to work right now!” You have to get out of bed, head into work and you have no idea how long you’ll be there. You’ve got to be alert, and sharp and ready to do your BEST work. You might be there for 2 hours, you might be there for 17 hours. You have no way of knowing.

Imagine being at your daughter’s dance recital, or your son’s 1st birthday party and you get that call…imagine not being able to head out of town on a last minute road trip, or missing out on your anniversary dinner with your hubby. This is birth photography.

Of course we have SOME control over when we are taking on birth clients and we can choose certain times of the year not to accept clients. But the truth is, life happens all year round and even if we choose to schedule around big events like birthdays and anniversary’s there are still moments we’ll miss that cannot be predicted. These are some of the things that have to be considered when you think about why birth photographers charge what they do.

“But I truly cannot afford it…” And other reasons people choose to forego birth photography.

Finances are one of the main reasons people don’t invest in birth photography. I get it. No matter how much value something has, or how good of a deal something is…if you don’t have the money, you don’t have it.
Another reason is privacy. Some people choose to keep their birth private and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Birth photography is huge right now…it’s trending big time…does that mean everyone should do it? Of course not!! If it’s not your jam, guess what? That’s totally fine!
You’re having a C-Section. If you’re scheduled for a repeat c-section then you may not feel it’s worth investing in full service birth photography when the photographer will only be there a couple of hours. There’s also a pretty decent chance that they could be denied access to the operating room completely.

Consider a Fresh 48!

You may choose not to hire a birth photographer but still feel that you want those early moments documented. This is where Fresh 48’s come in! Your baby will change so rapidly during the first few weeks and the first couple of days after delivery are often a blur for many parents.

Fresh 48 Photography allows you the opportunity to document your newborn in their newest “freshest” state, and to tell the story of their arrival into your family in a meaningful and unique way.

You’ll have the chance to rest up a bit after delivery and (if you choose to) wash your hair, put on your favorite PJ’s and a dab of makeup…you can capture sibling introductions, and get your first official family photo with your newest addition. You can also stay in your hospital gown and keep it completely intimate with just you and your partner with the baby. You literally do not have to leave your bed if you don’t want to.

There’s still a bit of an “on call” aspect to Fresh 48 Photography, but it’s MUCH more flexible than the type of on call work that comes with birth photography. Fresh 48’s also have a a more consice start and stop time (they usually take about an hour). These components allow Fresh 48’s to be priced in a completely different bracket than births, making it much more affordable.

If you’re expecting a baby this year, I hope this helps you understand a little more about these special types of photography services. I would love to serve anyone that is looking for a Fresh 48 (As of right now, I’m not accepting birth clients, but am more than happy to refer you to some amazingly talented birth photographers in our area!)

This is my most recent Fresh 48 and I want to share with you some of my favorite images from the session.