Only mothers can understand the true experience of childbirth, but coming in at a close second are birth photographers. Birth photography has grown from a trend to a full-on career path in recent years. The industry even boasts several birth photography organizations, like Birth Become Her and the International Associations of Professional Birth Photographers, that host annual birth photography contests to showcase the myriad emotions of childbirth.
The IAPBP boasts over 1,000 members from 42 countries across the globe, many of which submitted images for their Image of the Year contest last year. A panel of judges carefully chose the winner based on a point system judged by “technicality, emotionality and composition”.
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As a press release from the IABPB states, “birth photography encompasses the tears of joy, the wonder of bringing a new life into the world and celebrates family.”
The first-place winner was taken by Dutch photographer Marijke Thoen and depicts an underwater birth in a black and white photo. Click here to check out the best in category and honorable mentions of the raw, powerful images of childbirth from the contest.
