A couple of years ago I got together with two amazingly wonderful photographer friends, who are also birth photographers, to figure out if we could combine our birth work to create a better life work balance. Being "on call" every day all day is a bit much, and I was starting to get burned out. The idea of sending a stranger in as backup did not sit well with me. Something needed to change.
The result was The Birth Story Collective. We share clients fully, choosing community over competition.
One of the services we offer is Fresh48 newborn photography and videography, which is a great option for families who do not want birth photography, but still want to document the first days of getting to know their new baby. Fresh48s are one hour documentary photo sessions in your postpartum room, and can include grandparents and siblings.
One of the benefits of coming together as a Collective is that one of us is always available. While we "go on-call" at 38 weeks, we absolutely are available if baby arrives sooner. The Woodall family learned this when Mama's water broke at 35 weeks. I was happy to meet them in their hospital room two days later for our Fresh48 session.
Their precious baby boy was four pounds eleven ounces at birth, and so cute! A change of birth plans can be stressful, and the Woodall family handled it gracefully. I'm so happy that we were able to seamlessly fit into their new plan, and capture these moments for them!
If you are interested in learning more about Fresh48 sessions, or birth photography and videography, pop on over to www.thebirthstorycollective.com to learn more about the group and all of the services we offer. We believe in the transformative power of childbirth, and want to document the moment for you.
Chanda Williams is a natural light photographer and videographer in Atlanta, specializing in emotive and honest family photography.
www.chandawilliams.com