A Guide to Taking Cell Phone Photos That Your Clients Will LOVE.
Do your clients often ask you to take pictures for them with either their cell phone or yours?
I know that can be somewhat overwhelming! You already have so many things going through your mind! You are keeping track of position rotations and labor updates… thinking of all of the ways you can best support them in their birth & now you're racking your brain for the best photo opts!
What exactly should I take photos of? What angles are best? Will my clients like these photos?
I gotchu friend!
I’m gonna let you in on a few birth photographer secrets!
- Your clients are going to LOVE any & all photos that you take! They are super biased!
- Almost all of my clients request photos of initial reactions & partner support more than anything else!
- Higher angles are typically better. Slightly lift the phone/camera up above eye level.
I know how important it is to make things as simple as possible so that you can focus all of your attention on supporting your client as their Doula!
Use this acronym to take all of the guesswork out of taking birth photos for your client….
PRESS!
PARTNER - Document the ways they are supporting your client!
- How they offer physical & emotional support
- Offering drinks & food
- Holding/Interacting with baby
REACTIONS - We call this the “I did it” moment. If you can, ask your client beforehand whose reaction is most important. (They often say they want to see their partner's reactions.)
- Looks of joy, excitement, shock, tears - however everyone naturally reacts to the arrival of the baby
EMOTION - Try to capture the changes & intensity in expressed emotions like : Fear, Joy, Concern, Pain, Power, Vulnerability, Overwhelm.
- Laughing or joking between contractions
- Concern from the partner or family
- Excitement or cheers from family
- Tears or Vulnerability throughout transition and birth
SURROUNDINGS - Document the things around them like the birth space, who is in the birth space, and everyone holding the baby for the first time.
- Outside view of the Birth Space
- Room names or numbers
- The weather on baby's birth date
SPECIFICS - It’s all in the details…
- Baby's first outfit
- Baby's feet or footprints
- Readings on monitors or dopplers
PARTNER
REACTIONS
EMOTIONS
SURROUNDINGS
SPECIFICS
If You’re Ready to Add More Challenge….
- Learn more about the basics to composition photography. #compositioninbirth (read posts about concepts of composition and see photo examples)
- Try to add variety with angels! You can do this by rotating your phone between Vertical, Horizontal, & even UPSIDE DOWN.
- Get familiar with the settings on your phone. You can add a grid for composition help.
- Practice using apps like Splice, InShot, Lightroom Mobile, PhotoQuilt, & SCRL to enhance the photos/videos for your clients and for your Social Media.
