Winner of the 2021 Birth Photography Image Competition

Woke up to this incredible news, this favorite image from 2020 won the Postpartum category in one of the largest International Birth Photo Competitions in the world.

I feel honored and excited to share this image with the world because in so many ways I feel it encompasses the artistry and vision I try to create for each and every mother and family I work with. This moment was one of Power, “badassery”, confidence, and autonomy but in the same breath it was a moment of vulnerability, deep emotion, longings fulfilled and exhaustion. Isn’t that the beautiful part of birth though? That it can be all of that and more, it can be intense and untouchable while in the same moment feel so raw and ready to fall into tears.

The Story Behind this Winning Image

It’s so hard to know where to start telling the story of this image but I think it’s important to include that I have known this fierce mother and woman featured in this image for more than 15 years of my life. We grew up together and became women together. I watched her and her partner and now husband fall in love when we were all in High School and was there when they said I do our Freshman year of College. She and her husband were also the photographers for my own wedding and over the years she and I have both found our passion and purpose in Birth Photography. So deep roots and lifelong connection with this family play a huge role into how I was able to capture this moment and yet nothing was staged or planned. Maggie mentioned to me weeks before her birthing day that she wanted to take a moment and honor the moment that both baby and placenta were free of her body.

After her first birth experience was a hard unplanned induction that left her feeling the need for process and healing and

After almost 42 weeks of pregnancy and a severe case of hyperemesis gravidarum for most of that time,

Maggie asked that we take a moment to document in all its complexity the incredibly hard journey it took her to get to this moment. that was really all the planning we did. We hoped to keep baby attached to the placenta for as long as we could but both of us being birth photographers who have lived out the unexpected nature of birth through our own personal experiences, we knew that anything could happen but I think in our hearts and imaginations THIS was the image we wanted to create. After birthing her precious surprise daughter, Thea, in the living room beside her birthing tub we moved Maggie, baby, and placenta into her bedroom for rest and healing. Maggie spent her first golden hour just breathing in these moments, covered in birth and blood. When she was asked by her team of 3 doulas and midwife if she wanted to rinse off or have them wipe her legs she said, “ wait.” and I think we both just knew that having the real and raw color of her story was so connected to waiting to clean up afterward. After about an hour, Maggie sat up and we placed that placenta bowl right in the honorary center and captured a series of images that will now be career-long favorites of mine, including this moment where she stared right at the camera with all of her deep feelings and strength right there in her eyes!

A few images from before and after the award Winning image

Words from Maggie, the mother, Herself,

“We made it. This year-long journey is coming to a close. And yet our life together is just beginning.

What a year. What a fucking year. I went to the depths and came back with this beautiful soul in my arms. It took everything. And yes she was worth it and more. But god was it painful. I broke down. I crumbled. I turned to ash and dust. I screamed and sobbed and gagged. over and over. repeat and repeat. And then I roared. And then I held her. My Thea. My Moon. My Beloved. Our Ancient Song.

And now we dance together. A constant rhythm guiding me as she holds my hand. I falter. I lose myself over and over. She smiles at me knowing. She wails at me knowing. She curls against me. She thrashes away from me. I stumble and feel like a fool. I’m exhausted. I’m lonely. I’m never alone. I have no idea what I’m doing. I pause sometimes and can’t breathe because its all so beautiful. and so so hard. And then with deep breaths we find each other again and keep on dancing.

What an honor Thea Moon to be able to share this dance with you. Blood, sweat, vomit, milk, tears, and all.”

During the Submission process, a panel of 30 judges from the Photography Industry went through and selected the Best of the Best for this year’s competition and along with my peers, they left me so many words of affirmation.

Each sentence shared has felt like such a gift to me today and I wanted to share them with you all! I love this Birth community and industry SO MUCH! It really is unlike anything out there and I am blessed to be a strong woman surrounded by so many strong and talented peers!

” The feminist and birth advocate in me is dying over this image. She looks like the most badass birther, I feel accurately represented by her powerful emotions in this still image. Thank you for capturing it, thank you for being a birth worker, thank you for sharing it with the world “

“This mum is clutching her baby, yet there is such suppleness and tenderness. Her legs imply she is also clutching her placenta, making this title “ My Body, My Birth” even more powerful. The body language in this image is tangible.”

“It’ doesn’t get more raw or real than this, does it? Kind of a “what just happened?” moment coupled with an “ I did that.”

“This photo is such a perfect representation of birth, it’s so raw and real and the colors and tones perfectly highlight the beauty in birth.”

“This is what I love so much about home birth! The calm after the storm, the fulfillment, the messiness but overall the pride for being a woman who just birthed her baby. Beautiful capture in a natural and honest way.”

“This is one of the most striking, real, raw. Images I have ever seen.” 

“The connection to the camera is absolutely stunning! Real, Raw and an image I can admire and continue to find new aspects that move me.”

Lastly, I wanted to share the images from my Fellow Winners and few (personally chosen) Honorable Mentions from the full collection of submitted images!

You can explore the whole gallery submissions HERE! and Then Competition’s Full List of Winners Here

My Personal honorable mentions from this year’s Submissions!

A huge thank you to

The International Association of Professional Birth Photographers

This community has been sharing birth photography and empowering families for over 11 years. The competition this year spanned across 14 countries with 124 incredible birth photographers submitted. A special thank you to all of the influential and passionate judges who took the time to give back through the competition!