Photographer Shoots Her Own Birth And The Images Are Incredible

A photographer captures stunning images of herself in labor and giving birth

When you’re a photographer, it stands to reason that you’d be pretty particular about who captures the important events in your life. And if you’re Lisa Robinson-Ward, you decide there’s none more qualified than yourself.

“I didn’t know if I’d be able to take photos or not,” Robinson-Ward tells The Huffington Post. “I had my mind set on doing it, but I wasn’t sure I’d actually be able to pull it off.”

Robinson-Ward typically does wedding and portrait photography, but wanted the challenge of photographing her own birth. The pregnancy was a very welcome surprise, as the mom already has a 9-year-old son and had been trying for years to get pregnant. During that time, she had two miscarriages, so this baby was what many refer to as a “rainbow” baby. That is, a child born after one or more losses.

Knowing the situation was this special to her family, the photographer aimed to capture it all herself. And she very nearly succeeded, save for a few images her mother caught toward the end.

First, there was the hospital arrival and monitoring of contractions.

The mom snapped photos of her husband, as he stayed by her side through the 14-hour labor.

And of course, after getting permission from the doctors to keep taking photos, she captured the first photos of baby Anora.

Robinson-Ward says, “I loved seeing my husband’s face the moment he saw our daughter for the first time. He was crying. He was just so happy.”

She explains, “I took pictures while I pushed! When I was ready to push, I’d bring my hands and the camera up to my face. I didn’t know what I was getting at the time, and I didn’t know if anything was going to be in focus. But it helped me focus.”

And what mom wouldn’t want to focus on this perfect face?

In the end, Robinson-Ward’s mother took one of the loveliest images of all — mother and daughter, meeting each other right after delivery.

Life with baby Anora is going well. “Our daughter is really easy going. She’s mellow. She sleeps! She’s a happy baby.”

And someday, she will see these images and know how talented her mother is. And how much she loves her.