26 Winning Pictures Of The 2021 Birth Photography Image Competition

The annual competition by IAPBP celebrates the beauty of birth and the skill of birth photographers around the globe in five categories -- labor, delivery, postpartum, birth details, and fresh 48. The number one birth association worldwide, IAPBP, encompasses more than 1,100 members in 52 countries.

Liz Cook, director of IAPBP, told Bored Panda in a statement that "Despite birth photographers worldwide losing a majority of their work and income in 2020 due to the global pandemic, I am thrilled to be able to feature the talent of our members in our annual image competition."

"We are incredibly proud of the entrants of this year's competition because in spite of all we endured in our community in recent months, this contest represents the resistance birth photographers have to overcome in unforeseen challenges," Cook continued. "We are proud to present to you a breathtaking body of work that shares life's most powerful moments from 2020."

The association's annual photo competition recognizes its members and their best work on an international platform—the competition has grown in scope each year. Highly anticipated, the results quickly go viral each year as soon as the winners are announced. Images are judged on a variety of criteria and the first place winner will be featured throughout the year.

"Our association has grown by leaps and bounds and our members continually produce excellent, emotive, invaluable birth photographs for the families that hire them," Cook said. "I want to thank each and every IAPBP member who entered this year and, of course, the families who agreed to share their beautiful and sacred birth moments with the world."

IAPBP has assembled an impressive panel of judges for this year's competition, including multi-award winning birth photographer Dora Barens, photographer, mentor, and educator Kristen Cook, one of the 2019 Birth Photography Competition winners, Samantha Evans, and other highly-qualified professionals.

Birth photography is a highly specialized field and the choice to have the experience documented is an intensely personal decision.

It involves the birth process, environment, the parents, and those in attendance; it encompasses the tears of joy, the wonder of bringing a new life into the world, and celebrates family.

This year, the first place went to Canada, to Ashley Marston for her image, titled 'Daddy's Girls'. A mother of three beautiful children, Marston said hearing the big news was "just amazing."

"I have been a member of IAPBP for 7 or 8 years, almost as long as I've been a birth photographer and as long as they've been around," Marston explained in her Instagram story.

"Their image competition means a great deal to me. It's a competition that I highly respect <...> Last year, I won first place in the delivery category, this is the first time (maybe the last) I've ever taken first place. So, obviously, first place was unbelievable," Marston said.