Frequently Asked Questions
Why hire a birth photographer?
Birth photography is a celebration of the amazing ability of the female body to bring forth new life. Birth photography captures the beginning of your story as a new family or as you expand your family. Birth Photography preserves the memories in your mind to be recalled easily. Simply by browsing through your photos, your story is told clearly and accurately .. again and again. And the most important reason .... The birth of your child is one of the most important and cherished moments of your life. Soak it all in and preserve every second that you can because memories fade with time, but photos can freeze moments in time and are cherished heirlooms that last for generations to come.
Why hire a doula?
A doula is a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to expectant parents before, during and shortly after childbirth to help achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible. A doula nurtures, supports and offers expert guidance for families during their pregnancy, birth and early postpartum time. There is incredible evidence that shows how birth doulas improve outcomes! Studies have shown that continuous support during labor has clinically meaningful benefits for women and infants. All women should benefit from the support of a doula throughout labor and childbirth.
When should I contact you if I'm considering birth photography or doula services?
As soon as you discover you are expecting. I only book a limited number of on call births per month in order to ensure that I am available to my clients. Based on your estimated due date, if you wait too long, I may already be booked for that time frame. That being said, don't hesitate to contact me even if it's later in your pregnancy.
Can we talk pricing?
Sure we can! My birth clients typically budget to spend between $850 to $3000 depending on what services and add ons they desire. My birth stories start at $850, portrait sessions start at $200. I do offer payment plans and a gift registry option to help with planning your birth experience.
What do you offer?
It's my passion to tell the story of your family. I offer maternity, birth, newborn, and breastfeeding photography and video. If it applies to pregnancy, birth or babies .. I'm your girl. I offer personalized lifestyle maternity sessions, milk or herbal bath sessions for maternity, bonding or breastfeeding, henna belly maternity sessions, birth photography and videography, Fresh 48 sessions, Lifestyle newborn and studio newborn and sessions for breastfeeding milestones!
Are there any doulas that you recommend?
I accept a limited number of doula clients and doula/birth photography clients per month. I am also fortunate to be able to work closely with an amazing network of birth professionals. Go check out My Sunshine Birth Services to get more information on each of the network members!
Do you offer payment plans?
ABSOLUTELY! I'm more than happy to set up an individualized payment plan that meets your needs. Just contact me and we can discuss it further.
Do you take pictures of EVERYTHING?
The short answer to this is yes. The long answer is, I take pictures of whatever you want and are comfortable with. During our conversations we will discuss your birth plan, your wishes, your privacy and your level of comfort regarding the types of images that you want captured. Rest assured, your comfort and privacy is of the utmost importance to me.
What about sharing? Will you post my photos to social media?
Depending on your preferences, I offer an announcement and I may post a few photos within 24-48 hours following your birth. I post these photos ONLY AFTER you have made the announcement that you have welcomed your little one earthside. I private message these photos to you prior to posting and you share them first or approve them to be shared and advise when it's ok for me to share them. As you can tell from my website and social media, I am very conservative and respectful of the images I share. EVERY photo that has been used is with permission from my clients. Sharing of these beautiful photos is likely how you found me and helps my business maintain visibility with potential clients. If you choose to not have any of your photos shared, I absolutely respect that. These details are discussed in depth during our consultation.
What about lighting? Do you use flash?
Typically I do not use flash. All of the birth story photos that you see in my portfolio are low light photos and taken with available light, completely without flash. I have invested a significant amount of time and money to ensure that I have the proper equipment and education to handle any lighting environment. I do have flash equipment, I can use it proficiently, if you desire. I've discussed this with parents and birth professionals at length and have come to the conclusion that I prefer to respect the sanctity of the birth space rather than distract from it. I feel like using flash at a birth is likened to giggling out loud during prayer at church. It's just out of place and inappropriate to me. That being said, there are some factors that are typical and to be expected of low light photos. Low light photos, depending on the available light, can be expected to have some grain or noise. We will discuss this further at your consultation and make adjustments to the available light to have the best possible photos while still preserving your ideal birth experience.
Do you have a question that I haven't answered?
Send me an email at samanthasteenphotography@gmail.com, call or text 931-247-5725 and I'll be happy to answer any questions that you might have!