BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHY

FAQ's

How much experience do you have with Birth Photography?

Sarah is Idaho's MOST EXPERIENCED birth photographer having photographed over 500 deliveries to date over the last 10 years! She has been to almost every hospital in Idaho and Eastern Oregon. She was the first professional birth photographer in Idaho, introducing it to the Boise area back when "oh my gosh, you are actually IN THE ROOM WHILE THE BABY IS COMING OUT?!?!" was the typical response. Now, 10 years later, moms book with Sarah even BEFORE getting pregnant just to make sure they get to have her as their photographer when that amazing day comes! And! She's one of the most affordable in our area today!!

What is birth photography?

•Birth photography is a journalistic capture of the most memorable and important day in your life. The moments you so easily forget, even minutes after they happen, because your body was so busy working that you weren’t able to truly process the event. The moments when you first lay eyes on your baby. The moment your spouse falls in love with you all over again. The moment your heart lives outside your body. The moment your life changes forever.

Do you take pictures of the whole labor and birth?

Sarah arrives to your hospital, birth center, or home when you are in active labor (usually around 4cm dilated) and stays until about one hour after baby is born. She will take photos of your labor process, birth process, and first moments of postpartum. During the birth she stands near the mother's head and photographs from that angle. Capturing what mom can’t see because physically you can’t push and watch at the same time. She is right there at any moment to capture your emotions and the beauty of you seeing your baby for the first time. If there is any time where you don’t want her present, just ask and she is happy to step away.

Will you post the photos on the internet?

We will post a sneak peek of modest images on our facebook page unless requested by you in writing to not do so prior to the birth.

Will we meet before the birth?

•Generally Sarah meets moms at their maternity session (35-37 weeks gestation). Prior to that she's available for you and your questions and concerns 24/7 via phone, email, text, etc.

What if I have a c-section?

•C-section moms are no different than vaginal moms so she will treat you no differently. Sarah is permitted into the OR about 50% of the time in this area. So when possible, she will be in your surgery room. In the event that she is not allowed in she willI photograph everything prior to surgery and immediately following. She will give a backup camera to a nurse, preset with Sarah's image settings, who will photograph inside the OR (we make no guarantees to the quality or content of what the nurse photographs) and will process those images and include them in your gallery.

Will I have to get approval from my hospital?

•No. Fortunately in this area there are no restrictions on birth photography. Sarah is allowed in all labor and delivery rooms. You do not need to get permission from the hospital or your doctor. You can, however, if you wish, include in your birth plan that Sarah will be there.

What if you miss the birth?

•In the event that Sarah were to miss a birth due to her own unavailability ( this has never happened) then you are offered a refund of the birth portion of your package. In the event that she were to miss a birth for reasons outside of her control (ie: baby comes too fast) she will be there to capture everything following the birth as soon as she can arrive. In the event that two moms were to deliver at the same time, the mom who booked first will take Sarah's priority and the other will have Christy or another available backup photographer cover her delivery.

When should I book you?

•As soon as you possibly can. The earlier in your pregnancy the better. Sarah takes on a limited number of births (due dates) per month in order to keep from risking two moms delivering at the same time. So therefore availability is limited. Also, if you are doing a package that includes maternity photos then we need to get your maternity session scheduled.

Do you offer discounts or take payments?

•On occasion (few and far between) we may put birth packages on sale. Our pricing is already so incredibly low that it leaves almost no room for discounts or negotiations. We want everyone to be able to afford birth photography so we make our pricing as affordable without “promos” as possible. We offer payment plans on any and all of our packages that cost $500 or more. Please see our "Payment Plan Information" page for more info.

Do you use a flash? What if I want my birth dark?

•No. Sarah is highly trained with in-camera low light skills and techniques that allow her to “shoot in the dark” without any special lighting. Sarah believes your birth images should have the same ambiance that your delivery has. At no time will she intrude with special lighting.

How many photographs will I get?

•This varies on the length of your labor and what things you do/don’t want me to capture.

How long will it take to get my photographs?

•This ranges depending on the number of births that occur around the same time as yours as well as the number of images captured during your birth. The average time is one week.

Will they be color or black and white?

•You will receive a collection of each. Sarah shoots primarily in color and will occasionally shoot specific situations that "speak" black and white, in black and white. During post processing she may make a determination as to whether an image is better suited for B&W versus color. You can rest assured that you will get the best version suited for each image.

Do I get a CD of all my images? What if I want prints?

•ShutterHappy Photography does not offer discs. You receive all your images via an instant download link sent to your inbox. You have the printing rights.