Danica Donnelly

Birth is such an unknown, vulnerable experience. You don’t know how it will be, how you will feel in the moment, if you will want everyone out of the room, or if you’ll feel too exposed. I get it. You are doing something entirely new that requires a lot of courage and trust in the people you invite into your birthing space. I consider myself a caring member of your team; someone who is present to support you in your desires and outcomes; someone who is able to take the chaos you feel and show you the beauty in your personal experience; someone who is skilled at storytelling and has a keen eye for emotional intimacy, between you and your partner, you and your new baby, you and your care professionals. I work quietly and unobtrusively. In fact, many women don’t even realize I’m there until after their baby arrives. Your birth story is sacred and unique to you, and my aim is give you images that help you process your experience and see the magic in meeting your baby for the first time. I’ve had so many women hire me for their 2nd birth because they regret not having someone document their first birth.

If you want certainty that your birth will be documented, experience is something you definitely want in your birth photographer. There are so many unknowns that a professional must be prepared for as well as an intuition that must be developed to gracefully navigate a birth space – to capture every moment without disrupting labor or being in the way of the medical professionals. Sadly I’ve heard so many stories where someone went the cheap route and the person didn’t make it to their birth because they didn’t have the proper plans in place for the demands of being on call, or they were in the room but missed the actual delivery because they weren’t experienced enough to know the stages of labor, or inserted themselves into the family’s birth experience in a way that was extremely disruptive and unprofessional. I have 13 years experience in photography and 9 years expertise in birth photography specifically. I know the investment can seem sizable, but I promise that the experience you’ll receive is worth the money.

I charge a session fee to cover my time photographing as well as the complexities of being on call for your birth. It covers the costs of running a business (website, gallery hosting, insurance, equipment, software, etc) as well as childcare so that I can attend your birth. It covers my time selecting and editing your images so they tell an honest and beautiful story of your journey. It covers years of experience working with hundreds of families, my continuing education, and a client experience that I’ve honed to truly delight you and help you feel supported. It also includes a date night to view your images for the first time together where you’ll have the opportunity to invest in wall art, albums, digital files and/or a birth film.

One of the reasons I got into birth photography 9 years ago is I saw how much women wanted pictures of their birth. I also saw that when partners were the ones responsible for taking the pictures, it removed them from being present in the experience. Plus the women weren’t able to get pictures of dad’s tears as he first lays eye on his new little baby. Or pictures of the way he cradled and supported her during every contraction, never leaving her side. I’ve worked with so many families over the years and many men don’t think that having photos of the birth will be important to them, they think the photos are for their wives. …That is until after the baby arrives and they are able to see in their images how transformative the experience was not only for you but also for themselves! For women, birth is a very physical feat (as well as mental and emotional). Whereas for men there is only so much they can do to support in a physical way during labor, and thus their personal journey is intensely emotional in a way that they may rarely experience in life. The traditional gender roles are somewhat reversed in birth, taking both partners to their edge and requiring new perspectives from each of them. It is in these most challenging experiences that we are more aware than ever what we are capable of and what our partner is capable of, and we develop a new appreciation and love for one another. It can be hard for partners to understand the magnitude of this before birth, but they really are so grateful and moved afterwards.

I split up your session and your products so that you can customize your experience. Not everyone wants the same thing or uses the same medium to enjoy their photos. I’m SUPER passionate about you printing your photos and displaying them in your home so that you actually get to see these life changing moments on a daily basis! Photos have the power to effect your life when they are printed, in a way that digital can’t even come close to. I’m thoughtful and intentional about every part of my process and the products that I offer are no exception. They will delight you, awaken your senses and bring new life and meaning to your memories.

To be able to drop everything at any moment to come to your birth, day or night, requires huge sacrifice. I make sure I have childcare lined up every day, always, just in case. I keep my equipment charged and packed, often carrying it with me if I will be more than 15 minutes from my home. I have to stay in town always or arrange a backup to cover for me if I’m traveling outside a 1 hour radius of the city. Being on call doesn’t just come with a few minor adjustments to my schedule, it truly is a lifestyle change.

It is super important to me to take care of my clients and to be available to them. Therefore I only take 4 births per month and a limited number of other sessions. You are not just a job to me, you are a woman entering a new journey in motherhood. You have fears, questions and doubts. So do I. You have dreams, hopes and goals. So do I. By hiring me you are choosing someone who cares about you and pours her heart into the people who choose her too.