Thank you to Matt + Emily for letting me witness your labor and then Olivia's sweet delivery. THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I even shot their engagements, bridals AND wedding...and I'm shooting her sister's wedding in several weeks! I have pretty much been adopted into this family. :)

I had the best time photographing this birth, waiting for the film to get processed, and looking through them afterwards only to experience it all over again. It is such a personal and sacred part of life, the moment they bring you bring your child into this crazy world we live in. I felt so special for being allowed in the room to experience it all. When I shot this birth, it had only been a little over 2 months since I gave birth to my first child, so it all came flooding back to me when she would have a contraction or tell her doc she was ready to push. I wanted to scream with excitement I was so giddy. I had to literally cover my mouth or I was about to.

A lot of people ask me about these "birth stories" that suddenly people are hiring photographers for. And while looking through these and realizing why I love them so much, it's because they show the emotion and anticipation and worries that the pregnant mama experienced for 10 months. Each day of the pregnancy there are questions and exciting news and gifts and pain. It all comes together this day as family comes to celebrate and it's really all about the couple and their journey to make this happen (and new baby of course). I myself had a photographer at mine and don't really think my son Finn will look at them all the time, although I do think he will know he was loved by seeing what we went through to get him here, but I think it's really for me and my husband to remember what it was like. SO if you are questioning if a birth story is for you, then yes, it is! If you think you might like them but not sure if it's an investment you want to put in your birth budget, I say figure out a way! Obviously there are some things you just can't afford or convince your husband to do, but if it comes into your brain that you will like to have these photographs, then I say that you will cherish those photos for.ever. 

If you think you want to possibly hire me for your home/birth center/hospital birth, contact me @ eliselphotography@gmail.com OR my new number: 949 672 8019 and we can talk details. I am also willing to travel for induced births. 

ps: the white part of the wall above the labor beds at Mission Hospital are NOT "white boards".. whoops!!! :/

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