33 Emotional Photos That Won The 2024 Birth Photography Image Competition

Bored Panda got in touch with the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP) and they were kind enough to answer some of our questions. “IAPBP was started in 2010 by our founder with the purpose of assisting expectant birth persons who are in search of a professional birth photographer in their area. IAPBP has over 1,100 members in 32 countries and we are growing daily.”

“We are a genuine community of talented artists eager to connect with expectant birth persons. Behind the scenes, our community of artists also support one another by sharing resources to grow themselves and their businesses.”

Like some other photo organizations, it also runs an annual competition, so we were curious to hear more about its origins. “The core value of IAPBP is sharing the beauty in birth. It is the driving factor behind everything we do. We wanted to share our imagery with parents hoping to educate and share stories of joy and power. Something that isn't always depicted in birth images particularly in the movies.”

“By sharing our work, we hope that one parent might see an image they didn't know was possible to have. By doing this, it could strike up conversations with them and their care provider to start forming a plan of how they'd like their birth to go,” they shared with Bored Panda. 

Part of the reason more and more mothers are interested in documenting their births is the same logic why people want wedding photographers. For those in the thick of the storm, it might be hard to remember the event, so photo evidence is a way to preserve the memory. While some might balk at the idea of looking at images of birth, this can be a good opportunity to take a step back and evaluate why one feels that way. After all, birth is an essential part of life, indeed, it’s, without exaggeration, a completely necessary part. Without a birth, none of us would be here to see these images. 

Perhaps one reason why some people shy away from births is the fact that, unless you have done it yourself, it’s a somewhat unknown process. It’s scary, stressful and very, very emotional. So birth photography isn’t just about helping families immortalize this precious moment, it helps make the unknown more known. 

People who have given birth might be curious about the logistics of the entire process. After all, depending on the circumstances, the birth might take place in a low-light setting. More commonly, it might, literally, last for hours and hours. Actual birth photographers might be a rare breed willing to literally sleep on home and hospital floors to get the shot they need.