Jessica Strom Photography

This is the stuff that dreams are made of.

A couple months ago, I received an email wondering if I would be interested in participating in an article on birth photography for Professional Photographer Magazine. I was absolutely floored. You have to understand, this is the Creme de la Creme of photographer magazines, huge huge deal and it was the first time they had done an article on birth photography. I asked the writer how she heard of me as there are other birth photographers who have been around much longer than myself and apparently, not to toot my own horn, her editor follows my work! (THANK YOU EDITOR! I HEART YOU!) I had the honor of being featured in the article with two other extremely talented birth photographers Rachael of Rachael May Photography and Kim of Kim Charie Photography who are both located on the West Coast.

The concept of birth photography is rather “new”, it’s gaining popularity as women are realizing how private and tastefully it is done, as well as, and I must add this, how EMPOWERING it is to have the birth of your child documented forever in a way that not only shows the entrance of this little being in the world, but also shows how incredibly moving an experience it is for a woman to go outside of herself to bring life into the world. To be able to hold a photograph in your hands of an experience that without that little big reminder can and often does become incredibly hazy over time. As a photographer I love being able to give the images to parents that makes them weak in the knees over how stunningly beautiful their child’s entrance into the world really and absolutely was. It’s indescribable.

*Please note that each of us photographers had 3 images published, so not every image in the article is mine. The two in color are mine, Gemma’s birth center water birth and Carson’s hospital birth, and the one of the little guy with his fist in his mouth (close up shot provided) is my sweetheart Cade from his home birth.

The article is a pretty basic introduction to birth photography. I hope that it inspires others to look more into birth photography but I must stress, it’s not as easy as it looks! It requires so much expertise and dedication. I was in business for 3 years before I even started to add birth photography to my focus because birth isn’t something you practice on to learn photography. This is real life, as real as it gets, and there are absolutely no dress rehearsals. Clients who invite you into this most intimate space to document the most emotional day of their lives, welcoming their child, deserve nothing short of the absolute best. Please don’t jump into it thinking it’s all warm fuzzies, because those warm fuzzies would very quickly vanish if you don’t know what you are doing. This is much much more stressful than photographing any wedding day.

Being published online is one thing, but seeing my images in a top international magazine… wow. The only thing that I could ever want more is the cover. One day. =0) If you want to read the full article, it can be found HERE. Want to know more about my birth packages? Check out HERE. I do require my birth clients to book both maternity and newborn sessions with me in order to be able to book me for their birth. This is imperative to developing the bond in which I feel is need to truly evoke your emotions in your photographs. Doing the maternity session together is similar to why you do an engagement session before the wedding, for you and the photographer to get to know each other and feel comfortable with the camera out, to get excited over baby’s arrival together. The newborn session is a beautiful way to wrap up the experience after the intensity of the birth by me coming to your home and documenting the new family. It’s a triangle, all three pieces are essential to the whole birth experience. And it is absolutely beautiful.

Professional Photographer Magazine, published by Professional Photographers of America (PPA), February 2012 issue.

THANK YOU everyone for all of your support. Thank you, Thank You, Thank you!! Thank you to my sweet babies who were featured, Gemma, Carson, and Cade, photographing your births has forever left little imprints on my heart and I pray for you and all of the babies whose births I photograph and witness all the time. THANK YOU to the families who invite me into their secret place and allow me to know you so sweetly. It is impossible not to have some love for you guys!!