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30 Raw Photos From The 2022 Photography Image Competition That Show How Cool Moms Are
Despite living in a time of crisis that leaves us struggling with overwhelming anxiety about the future – let's take some time off and celebrate our presence. Life is sincerely mind-blowing. We get to go through these contrasting events filled with all the possible emotions, we have the freedom to get whatever we want from our existence, and we're allowed to make mistakes while still having the power to improve and grow.
We're brought into this world by our beautiful mothers that go through what seems like an unimaginable delivery. It doesn't matter whether you've been through the child-bearing process or not – you understand how overpowering and captivating it truly is. Though the media tends to conceal the reality of the birth, IAPBP doesn't fail to provide folks with mesmerizing behind the scenes:
The International Association of Professional Birth Photographers has been hosting their famous birth photography competition for several years, and they recently announced the winners and participants of their 12th contest. Bored Panda has already covered IAPBP's previous works – so if you'd like to see more, click here and here.
More info: IAPBP
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Best In Labor: "Ovarian Cancer Survivor - Hospital Transfer" By Sara Hunter, United States
The International Association of Professional Birth Photographers was essentially established to assist soon-to-be parents with gifted birth photographers. These days the community has over 1,100 members in 52 countries, and continues to grow daily. Moreover, 12 years ago, IAPBP introduced an annual image competition that allows folks to witness the reality of an otherworldly process. The association itself was founded in 2010, and is a proud owner of immensely talented and creative photographers/videographers who put their whole heart into documenting expecting parents' fragile but significant moments.
Becoming a birth photographer is a very crucial choice. It's a way to connect with the world and its wonders, it's intimate and it's messy. Birth photographers are storytellers who catch every aspect of the delivery, whether it's planned or unplanned. They're there to document the person's anticipation, pain and finally that long-awaited skin-to-skin contact.
Best In Delivery: "The First Look" By Ebony Allen-Ankins, Australia
Photography is a very rewarding practice, let alone when you specialize in capturing people's deliveries. Not everyone is aware that birth photography is even a thing, besides, most would probably think that documenting such private and personal moments is rather unnecessary – but meeting your child for the first time is an otherworldly emotion that many would love to remember forever.
Every labor is different, but most are extremely difficult, as you can never thoroughly plan the process. It's all very individual, where some are blessed with a very smooth and quick delivery and others spend days laboring with the immense support of their loved ones. Either way, birth photographers are completely trained to adapt to the unexpected and are ready to capture your beautiful journey.
First Place: "A Touch Of Love" By Bรกrbara Aviz, Brazil
Members' Choice: โCrying Dadโ By Sara Hunter, United States
I love this! The Dad is so happy to meet his little one. But you can also see the smiling facing of Mom in the background. These pics are beautiful!
Being a birth photographer isn't only about finding the best angles to portray the future mother's story. It's an incredible task where you need to constantly be aware of the surroundings, in order to not interfere with the beauty and the harsh reality of the birthing process. An overpowering moment that can hardly be described with words, an event that is filled with excruciating pain and an overflowing love that, in the aftermath, feels like has gone by within a split second. The process is easily forgotten once your child finally enters your arms and birth photographers are there to help and seal those life-changing hours forever.
Best In Postpartum: โTwins First Latch" By Jessica Miles, United States
Honorable Mention: "Touch Of Love" By Dora Barens, Netherlands
Giving birth is the most empowering feeling, despite experiencing a form of pain that you never even knew existed. You're on the verge of bringing a new life to this world while being surrounded by the people you love the most. Not a lot of us can truly comprehend what happens in that delivery room but having competitions like this one allows folks to witness what it's like going through such a dynamic event.
Best In Hardship & Loss: "As Long As I Am Here With You My Perfect Little Baby" By Meike Nagorny, Germany
Mature content warning is a great idea BP. You should use it more often rather than censorship.
Best In Delivery: โThe Blessed Exhaustionโ By Danny Merz, Germany
Best In Delivery: "Euforia" By Inge Berken, Netherlands
Though most birth photographers are only focused on documenting your story, some are also known to offer their support services, essentially acting like doulas. It's fascinating to know that you can also develop a connection with your photographer that will most likely positively impact on your final images. Many birth photographers reveal that their clients cry when they first view their images and it must feel very rewarding for the artist to see those final happy tears.
Best In Delivery: โDad Catches His Baby Girl" By Sara Hunter, United States
Just covering up the only thing that needs to be covered up on this page, a stupid comment below.
Best In Postpartum: โLove Till Infinity" By Inge Berken, Netherlands
Iโm here to bury the sales ad. Just loving pics of love
Best In Labor: โSurrenderโ By Renate Van Lith, Netherlands
Even though childbirth is a truly terrifying event, it's important to educate ourselves and to hear about this matter from the women that undergone this equally stressful and beautiful process. A lot of us don't know enough about labor and delivery because we're so used to seeing a slightly sugar-coated version in the vastness of media. Yet, this project and this competition is a great way to bring awareness to real and unstated birth. And it's totally hypnotizing.
Best In Labor: โAccepting A New Planโ By Sara Avila, Mexico
Honorable Mention: "Exhale" By Natalie Broders, United States
Honorable Mention: "Daughters Of A Midwife" By Jessica Henderson, Australia
Honorable Mention: "Held" By Lindsey Bartell, United States
Honorable Mention: "Lean Into Me" By Lindsey Ellis, United States
Best In Birth Details: "The Tiniest Feet" By Dania Lauren, Australia
Honorable Mention: "Ecstacy" By Jacinta Lagos, United States
Members' Choice: "White Noise" By Cindy Willems, Netherlands
Best In Postpartum: โSwimming Interstellarโ By Hayden Trace, United States
Honorable Mention: "Womb World To Our World" By Sadie Wild, United Kingdom
Honorable Mention: "Life-Giving Nectar" By Lyubov Chaykovskaya, Russia
Beautiful. This was my experience - I had a 15-month old when my second child was born. They nursed together for a couple of years.
Best In Labor: โMy Sacred Birth Cocoon" By Jessica Innemee, Netherlands
Honorable Mention: "Ready For Devotion" By Sadie Wild, United Kingdom
Honorable Mention: "Into The Night" By Ebony Allen-Ankins, Australia
Best In Birth Details: "She Roars" By Lindsey Bartell, United States
Best In Postpartum: "Reunion" By Rachel Utain-Evans, United States
Honorable Mention: "A Calm Birth In Times Of Pandemic" By Susanne Krauss, Germany
Honorable Mention: "Transition Tears" By Ashley Marston, Canada
Best In Birth Details: โNuchal" By Brittney Hogue, United States
Honorable Mention: "The Reach" By Natalie Weber, United States
She is having a c-section and the clear tarp is used so she can see the baby coming out without interference and possible contamination of the sterile field of surgery.
Honorable Mention: "This Is Us" By Charlene Foertser, Germany
teyokij194 you are THE most insensitive person EVER! I am sorry if my comment is rude, BUT to use an painful ( l am guessing) and emotional moment/ photo as a space to show off your ad is uncivil, unmannerly, brusque, impertinent, impudent, pert, unrefined, uncultured, uncivilized, uncouth, coarse, vulgar, rough, artless, abusive, blunt, boorish, coarse, crude, ignorant, impolite, insulting, intrusive, obscene, surly, vulgar, harsh, unpleasant, violent, abrupt, barbarian, barbaric, and barbarous!
Honorable Mention: "Love And Support" By Vannessa Brown, Canada
No shade and no judging, just a comment to start a debate. Having your kids with you while you're literally pushing out your baby: thoughts? I get that it's nature and all but, I don't know, is that necessary? Is that beneficial to the kids (or to the mother, among others) ? In this photo in particular they are literally inches from the "focal point" ๐ from which the baby and blood and feces will come out... Isn't that a little too much to see at a very young age? And what for? They're too young to understand the importance of the moment and to create a bond; all they'll see is their mother in pain and distress and then an "almost horror movie" scene. I really don't see the purpose of this. But I'm interested in reading other points of view...
Heterosexual male here. Can I juts say how much I love the photos of the mother's feeding their children. I genuinely think this is one of the most beautiful moments in life. There is a closeness to the child that I, as a man, will never be able to experience.
Powerful pictures. As someone who never wants to experience this, I love seeing these images and appreciate the women (and men) who go through these. To every BoredPandan that has experienced birth, kudos to you. To those that haven't, but are giving loving homes to children, Kudos to you too.
Nurse told us to go for a walk in the hospital grounds, at three in the morning. So we walked out to the trees and she got a contraction. I held her tight in my arms as she held me tight too. I slipped a disk and we both collapsed, nobody around to call for help and we both cracked up at the absurdity of the situation. Took about an hour to get back to the hospital.
What I absolutely love, is no matter your race, nationality, country or any other negative views we face every day, at the end we are all the same. A parent, child, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandparent and so on. We face the same issues and difficulties in life. I love how these pictures bring that together for parents. Very powerful and Loving!!!!!!
I love this so much! Wish I had thought about more photos. I don't remember much because of an emergency c-section.
This was beautiful and very emotional. Just like child birth is - a mix of raw emotions.
Where is the pic with the bigger children witnessing their siblings birth gone to?
Thereโs a link at the end to click on to see 34 more photos. Perhaps itโs there.
Load More Replies...This was the best and most beautiful post for a long time! I have had 3 wonderful child and I have hoped someone would have taken pictures like these during labour. Absolutely priceless! Giving birth to a baby is most beautiful thing in the world.
I love being childless. Iโm also grateful to my siblings for producing nieces and nephews.
Load More Replies...Can I please request a content warning here? Some deep, harrowing tragedy which should not be doing the rounds as click bait.
Ah yes, another post about people one of the most generic things ever, posted for the 1000th time, but still acting like they're the first to do it. Come one, come up with something original for once.
Please do not have a post that seems nice and then insert dead babies. For someone who has been thought losses this is devasting. Warn in the headline.
the photo caption said "Best In Hardship & Loss" & was behind a filter. there was a warning & it was hidden from view. you went out of your way to see it. i'm sorry for your losses but there are already accommodations.
Load More Replies...Heterosexual male here. Can I juts say how much I love the photos of the mother's feeding their children. I genuinely think this is one of the most beautiful moments in life. There is a closeness to the child that I, as a man, will never be able to experience.
Powerful pictures. As someone who never wants to experience this, I love seeing these images and appreciate the women (and men) who go through these. To every BoredPandan that has experienced birth, kudos to you. To those that haven't, but are giving loving homes to children, Kudos to you too.
Nurse told us to go for a walk in the hospital grounds, at three in the morning. So we walked out to the trees and she got a contraction. I held her tight in my arms as she held me tight too. I slipped a disk and we both collapsed, nobody around to call for help and we both cracked up at the absurdity of the situation. Took about an hour to get back to the hospital.
What I absolutely love, is no matter your race, nationality, country or any other negative views we face every day, at the end we are all the same. A parent, child, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandparent and so on. We face the same issues and difficulties in life. I love how these pictures bring that together for parents. Very powerful and Loving!!!!!!
I love this so much! Wish I had thought about more photos. I don't remember much because of an emergency c-section.
This was beautiful and very emotional. Just like child birth is - a mix of raw emotions.
Where is the pic with the bigger children witnessing their siblings birth gone to?
Thereโs a link at the end to click on to see 34 more photos. Perhaps itโs there.
Load More Replies...This was the best and most beautiful post for a long time! I have had 3 wonderful child and I have hoped someone would have taken pictures like these during labour. Absolutely priceless! Giving birth to a baby is most beautiful thing in the world.
I love being childless. Iโm also grateful to my siblings for producing nieces and nephews.
Load More Replies...Can I please request a content warning here? Some deep, harrowing tragedy which should not be doing the rounds as click bait.
Ah yes, another post about people one of the most generic things ever, posted for the 1000th time, but still acting like they're the first to do it. Come one, come up with something original for once.
Please do not have a post that seems nice and then insert dead babies. For someone who has been thought losses this is devasting. Warn in the headline.
the photo caption said "Best In Hardship & Loss" & was behind a filter. there was a warning & it was hidden from view. you went out of your way to see it. i'm sorry for your losses but there are already accommodations.
Load More Replies...