Re: [Leica] dear god - do NOT photograph your child's birth!

["Ted Grant" <tedgrant@home.com>]

From: "Kyle Cassidy" <cassidy@netaxs.com>

>>>>>> believe me, your kid does not need events like this photographed. and
> neither does your wife. hold her hand and give her some encouragement and
> cut the umbillical cord if you have to, but don't photograph it. some
> things are better left a private mystery.<<<<<<<<<

Hi Kyle,

This is utter tripe and take it from a guy who has shot roughly 200
birthings and all the pictures are family oriented and not likely the "in
your face crotch" images on the movie reel you experienced as a student!

I always recommend, that no matter who the father to be is... leave his
camera at home simply because he can't give his wife the kind of attention
she requires and deserves during the birthing / labor time. And get someone,
a friend or someone who has experience doing this kind of photography to
record one of man's greatest gifts,  a new child!

It isn't just the head crowning and the baby emerging, hell if one has ever
seen a cow give birth it's just same and a non picture, period!  Sure some
folks have their friend or relative do the video thing and then show it to
others after the fact and here's the world looking up the crotch, now I'm
using rather blunt language here only because I'm appalled at the dumb ass
people in the delivery room putting the camera almost in the babies face as
it's coming out! Bloody awful pictures unless they are required for medical
purpose. And yes I've had to shoot them, not planned, but a quick request by
the doctor as he wanted them for medical reason and he and the medical staff
were the only people to see them.

HERE'S HOW ONE SHOOTS A BIRTHING:
Photographer should be in the birthing room as soon as the mother to be is
in her bed and photog takes a position.... out of the way... by the mothers
head end of the bed. This allows the photog to capture the medical team in
action, the caring husband comforting his wife and when the magical moment
occurs it's much easier to shoot the action without being in the way of the
doctor and nurses.

Most importantly stay to hell out of the way and don't be putting the camera
where it has no place being! Between the mother's legs!

As soon as the little critter is cleaned up and under the warming lamps for
tagging and foot printing make sure you have shots of this action. And when
the baby is first given to the mother be ready and not trying to load
film... no matter what camera...!  as it's purely magic to see the
expression on the mothers face.

Sandy and I did story in July/August 2000 issue of PhotoTechniques on
birthing for any of you who can find a copy.

If you shoot one, have lots of film, B&W preferably as this is high tension
emotions and colours just get in the way taking away the impact of the
content.  Besides there isn't a hell of a lot of colour. Leave the flash at
home!

Make sure you have wide angle lenses as you'll be in rather confined
quarters..

Keep quiet,  your just an observer and recorder of the event! Just shoot the
expressions and whatever catches your eye, the tenderness of the husband as
he tries to comfort, the facial expressions of the mother during
contractions. There is an endless array of wonderful pictures!

The father can't really photograph the event in true fashion as he's part of
the event and if he's shooting he isn't in any of the pictures.  However,
best bet at the moment is find a copy of PhoroTechniques as it's all in
there.

And Kyle your comments are as about as wrong as one could give.
Unfortunately I suppose you were overly influenced by the home movie
version. Maybe you should try it some day!

It's one of the most beautiful events one can photograph and for those of
you who have a copy of my "This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William
Osler,"  you'll find birthing pictures of my grandson and grand daughter on
plates... 83 through to 89.  And if you don't have a copy of the book there
is one birthing shot , grand daughter Sasha, on the website of the book.
www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant

And their reactions to the pictures today as teenagers?  .... "COOL!"  And
if you don't think that wasn't an emotional event, boy think again! :-)

One key thing to remember and that is,  you have to be firing on all
cylinders because if you miss the arrival picture you can't say, "Hey doc
would you put him back I need to do a re-take!" ;-)

ted
Ted Grant Photography Limited
www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant