Frequently Asked Questions

The day you meet your baby is one of the most important days of your life. It's a monumental, emotion-filled day that can often feel like a blur looking back. Birth photography allows you to forever remember the moments that might otherwise be lost—the intensity and your resilience as you labour, the love of your birth team and the people who support you, and the moment you hold your beautiful baby in your arms and see their face for the first time. It's the moments you pushed through with strength you didn't even know you had, and it's the breath-taking moments you could live in forever.

It really is a time like no other, where you're brought to the edges of yourself and back again to bring your baby earthside. Every birth is unique, and every story incredibly precious.

Photos can also give you a way to process your birth, particularly your experience wasn't what you hoped for it to be.

Every birth story is worthy of being told.

Definitely! I believe that birth works best when a woman feels comfortable and safe with everyone in the room. We have an initial catch-up before you book, which gives you a chance to feel whether I'm the right fit for your birth space.

We meet up again at around 36 weeks (or sooner if you have twins on the way!) for a pre-birth consult. This is where we go over all the things - your birth preferences, what you want me to document, and details for the day.

I will capture whatever you want me to! The moments (and body parts!) people want to document varies wildly, and I am happy to accommodate you at your comfort level. This is something we'll discuss at your pre-birth consult.

I will come when you are in an established pattern of contractions/surges and stay for around two hours following the birth to capture those sweet "firsts" with your new baby and family.

If you do have a longer labour, that's okay! Babies come in their own timing. If things are taking a while, I'll take breaks during down times throughout the day (or night), and will stay close by if I do so.

I'm located in Palmerston North, Manawatu, and will travel up to an hour to cover a birth. Travel costs are included for locations within 30km of Palmerston North - beyond this, a travel fee will apply.

Sometimes birth is more speedy than we anticipate! I will make every effort to get there to capture your story even if your baby has already been born, and I'll stay as long as I need to get the amount of images you would have received had your labour been longer. I'll even come back the next day if we need more images to tell your full story.

In the unlikely event that I'm unable to be present at your birth, and I'm unable to be there after the birth or the next day, I will transfer your payment to a Kindred Session and the remaining balance will be refunded.

As a birth photographer, I am counted as one of your support people. If you are having a home birth, you are allowed as many support people as you choose.

Due to the changeable nature of hospital and birth centre policies, it is your responsibility to find out whether I will be able to attend your birth. If you have a planned c-section, having me in theatre with you is something you would need to discuss with your obstetrician before-hand. In an emergency, my presence will be at the discretion of the staff. In this case I can send my camera through with your support person, if they choose to do so, and I will continue to photograph once you return from theatre.

Everything you see on my website, social media, and anywhere else, has been shared with explicit permission from the families. I respect that birth is beautifully vulnerable, and will absolutely honour families who would prefer to keep their images private. We will discuss your preferences during your pre-birth consult, and I will always respect your wishes around this.

I feel so honoured to be invited to document the powerful, unique birth stories of each woman and whānau that choose this service. These images are for you. That said, I count it a great privilege to share birth imagery - in a world where it's easy to only see one kind of birth in the media, I love that I can showcase the beauty, power and strength that can be found, and empower a generation of women.

Also... consent is an ongoing thing! If you choose to share your images, and later change your mind, I'll always honour that!

You can book with me as soon as you find out you're pregnant. I typically only take on one woman per month, so spaces are limited.

Photography is an investment, and it can feel big. I so get it!

I don't want to be all salesy, or raise my prices just to offer discounts or create a sense of urgency. I try to price myself in a way that's fair both to myself and my family, and to you as someone in the thick of a tender, fleeting, and potentially expensive season.

I truly believe that birth photography is more than just a luxury - it's an important piece of your story, and a beautiful way to process, integrate, and share both the birth of your baby, and a new version of you. I want birth photography to be as accessible as possible to those who would like to document their story in this way, and I offer a range of payment plans in an effort to accommodate this.

For birth photography, I take a $500 deposit either when you book with me or when you hit 12 weeks (whichever is first) - this secures your spot in my calendar, as I only take on one birth client a month. The rest can is paid in monthly instalments up to 38 weeks gestation; however, if this is still tricky, I am more than happy to chat about an extended payment plan that suits you and your family.

Of course! Send me a message or email me at alightbeheld@gmail.com and let me know where you're based, and I'll send you some options close to you.

Feel free to reach out to me using the contact button at the top of the page. I'm always happy to chat!