Birth Investment Guide

( Twenty Twenty-Six )


Table Of Contents


  1. Welcome
  2. Intro
  3. Approach
  4. A note on SABPA + your safety
  5. Process
  6. Collections
  7. Birth Photography - Frequent Questions
  8. Inquire

Hi Friend, I’m so glad you’re here.

Thank you for taking the time to explore what birth photography might feel like for you.

This guide is a soft place to begin - to understand my approach, what you can expect, and how I support you through one of the most meaningful days of your life.

Why I Would Be Honoured to Document Your Birth


I’m drawn to the kind of moments we don’t often see photographed - the powerful ones, the quiet ones, the ones that feel like an inhale held in the body. The moments where everything changes.



I believe in documenting birth with softness and respect:

the way a room feels as labour builds,

the rhythm of breath and hands held,

the stillness right before baby arrives,

the way the world narrows to only what matters.


I don’t want staged.

I want honest.

Birth as it is - sacred, human, and deeply felt.



If you welcome me in, I’ll be there with presence and care - so you can stay inside your experience. I’ll notice the moments around you, the ones you’re busy living, and hold them for you. You’ll have them to look back on when you’re ready.

So Nice To Meet You - I'm Linds



I’m a photographer drawn to softness, honest storytelling, and the kinds of moments that feel like memory. Motherhood changed the way I see - it slowed me down and made me want to hold onto the moments that pass too quickly.


With birth, my role is quiet and respectful.

You stay in your experience; I’ll document it with care.

Birth as it is - human, powerful, and deeply lived.

Here’s a glimpse into my

gentle and heartfelt approach

when photographing your birth story


My approach to birth photography is quiet, observant, and rooted in respect.


I’m not here to direct or perform - I’m here to witness what’s unfolding and hold it gently. I move with the room, not against it:


✨ soft light and honest presence

✨ hands held, breath, and the rhythm of labour

✨ privacy when it’s needed, support when it’s welcome

✨ the story as it happens, without interruption


Birth isn’t a moment for performance - it’s a moment for being. You get to stay where you are: inside your body, inside the experience.


While you’re living it, I’ll be noticing it.

The small things, the shifts, the moments you might not see - I’ll hold them for you.


When you look back, I hope it feels like returning to the room. Not how it looked - but how it felt.

What is the South African Birth Photographers Association?


"South African Birth Photographers Association empowers parents, photographers, hospitals and healthcare providers. By providing photographers with the necessary tools, resources to uphold the integrity, safety and privacy of the birth space and the birth team. While still allowing parents to have their birth stories captured. Birth is a life-changing experience and a memorable event for parents. 

Registered birth photographers provide parents with breathtaking, emotional, and beautiful photographs of the first few moments of meeting your little one. South African Birth Photographers Association provides parents with qualified and professional photographers that are knowledgeable and updated with all the rules of the hospital and birth centres, so they can feel confident with their decision."
Circular badge featuring a purple geometric flower pattern with gold text showing SABPA membership.
Newborn baby wrapped in white blanket sleeping peacefully in black and white photograph.
A series of connected images showing medical staff in protective gear walking through a hospital corridor.
Medical team performs surgery in dark operating room with focused lighting illuminating the surgical field.
Medical staff attending to a patient during childbirth in a hospital delivery room.
A patient wearing a surgical cap lies on a hospital bed in a black and white photograph.
Black and white artistic photo series showing intimate dance movements and poses in dramatic lighting.
Close-up of hands gently holding a newborn baby's tiny hand in black and white.
A close-up view of a newborn baby's tiny fingers reaching up against a soft, blurred background.
Medical professionals in protective gear working together in a clinical setting.
A healthcare worker takes a blood pressure reading from a patient in a hospital operating room setting.
Medical professionals in protective gear work together in a hospital emergency room setting.
Medical staff work in a dimly lit hospital room with monitoring equipment and computers visible.
A patient rests in a hospital bed while someone stands nearby in a medical room with floral curtains.
A series of black and white medical photos showing hands performing dental procedures on a patient.
Person in dark shirt interacting with a red postal box or machine in a white interior space.
Close-up black and white profile view of someone resting or sleeping on a pillow.
Peaceful sleeping newborn baby wrapped in a white and gray striped blanket.
Two people embrace in a tender moment while dancing together at what appears to be a social dance event.
A hospital patient lies in a medical bed while receiving care in a clinical setting.
A peaceful black and white photograph of a sleeping baby swaddled in soft white fabric.
A Bit About 

My Process


01.


get to know me


Take a quiet wander through my website or Instagram.

Notice how the work feels, not just how it looks.



This is the best way to sense whether my storytelling feels like home to you - soft, honest, and rooted in the documentary.


02.


reach out


Share the season you’re in and what you’re hoping for.

We’ll talk about your estimated due window, where you plan to birth, and anything that matters to you. From there, I’ll check availability and we’ll move gently into next steps.


03.


beginning the details together


Once you decide to book, I’ll send a simple contract, a birth questionnaire, and the 25% retainer to secure your on-call window - whether your birth is planned as a vaginal delivery or a c-section.


We’ll talk through boundaries, preferences, support team, lighting, and what feels safe for you.


This is where we shape the container – calm, clear, and centred on your experience.


04.


on-call for you


From 37–42 weeks, I’ll be on call day and night - ready to come when you need me, whether you’re planning a vaginal birth or a scheduled c-section.


You’ll let me know when things begin or when you’re heading to the hospital for your planned birth time. We’ll stay in touch by message or call, and I’ll join you when it feels right - no rush, no pressure, just support that meets the moment.


05.


during your birth


When I arrive, I settle quietly. No directing. No interrupting. No bright lights. I document what’s unfolding - breath, hands held, the shift in the room, the moment everything changes.


My role is to witness, not perform. You stay in the moment - I’ll hold the story.


06.


the hours after


I stay for the first moments earthside - the exhale, the skin-to-skin, the meeting of eyes, the tiny details you may not even see happening.



I slip out gently when the time feels right, so you can cocoon and rest.time to make more changes.

07.


gallery delivery


6 - 8 weeks later, your gallery arrives - softly edited, tender, and true.


Your gallery arrives as a curated collection of the moments that shaped your birth story - powerful, quiet, and deeply human. The pieces of the day you lived through and the ones you were inside of, gathered with care so you can return to them in your own time.

It’s not about remembering every detail - it’s about having a way back to what it felt like.


06.


ke more changes.

This Is Where

Our Journey Begins

Birth Collections

a look at what I offer.

01. Your Birth Story

A simple and focused way to have your baby’s arrival documented - quietly, respectfully, and with presence.

This is for families who want the essence of their birth held in photographs: the build of labour or the calm before theatre, the hands you reach for, the moment you meet your baby, and the first hour of becoming. It’s enough time to settle into the room, witness the story as it unfolds, and keep a record you can return to for the rest of your life.

Includes:


✨ On-call support from 37 weeks (vaginal or scheduled C-section)

✨ Birth coverage from active labour (6-7cm) or 2hrs pre-theatre

✨ 1-2 hours after birth to document first connection + settling in

✨ Pre-birth planning call or tea meet up

✨ 5 preview images within 24-48 hours

✨ 80+ edited images in a private online gallery


Investment:



Vaginal birth - R 7000

Belly birth (planned C-section) - R 6000

02. Your Birth and The First Days

For those who want the full arc - birth, and the soft landing afterwards.

If birth is the moment everything changes, the days that follow are where you learn each other. This option holds both - the intensity of birth and the quieter hours within the first week. It’s a gentle way of honouring the whole transition: from first breath to home, to the small, ordinary magic of your new rhythm.

Includes:


✨ On-call support from 37 weeks (vaginal or scheduled C-section)

✨ Birth coverage from active labour (6-7cm) or 2hrs pre-theatre

✨ 1-2 hours after birth to document first connection + settling in

✨ Pre-birth planning call or tea meet up

✨ 5 preview images within 24-48 hours

✨ Birth Gallery - 80+ edited images in a private online gallery

✨ First Days session (Fresh 48 or at–home postpartum, within 7 days)

✨ Additional 80+ edited images from your postpartum session


Investment:



Vaginal birth - R 10 500

Belly birth (planned C-section) - R 9 500

03. Your Full Journey

Your whole story, held with care - pregnancy, birth, and the first days earthside.

This is for the families who want continuity. One storyteller from start to finish. We begin in maternity, when anticipation is building; I arrive for birth with knowledge of who you are, what matters to you, and how you like to be supported; and I return in the early days to document the newness that comes after.

Includes:


✨ Maternity session (around 60 minutes) with a curated edited online gallery (75+)

✨ On-call support from 37 weeks (for vaginal birth or scheduled C-section)

✨ Birth coverage from active labour (6-7cm) or 2hrs pre-theatre

✨ 1-2 hours after birth to document first connection + settling in

✨ Pre-birth planning call or tea meet-up to talk through boundaries, hopes, and support

✨ 5 preview images within 24-48 hours

✨ Full Birth Gallery - thoughtfully edited images (80+) in a private online gallery

✨ First Days session (Fresh 48 or at-home postpartum, within 7 days)

✨ Curated gallery of images (80+) from your postpartum session


Investment:



Vaginal birth - R 14 000

Belly birth (planned C-section) - R 13 000

Professional association logo for SABPA featuring a purple geometric flower design.
Birth Photography FAQ

Why hire a birth photographer?

(01)

Every birth story is magical and sacred; totally unscripted, beautiful, powerful and vulnerable. It is an experience rich with tiny details and big emotions. Birth photography is about capturing this sacred, life-changing process.

Having your birth captured will allow you to look back on one of the most defining moments of your life, bringing you back to those memories, to that love.

How do you approach birth photography?

(02)

I vow to be respectful and non-invasive. As much as I would form part of your birthing team, I am not a doula and wouldn’t dream of interfering, holding your hand or telling you to push! My approach is calm, quiet and similar to that of a fly on the wall. Of course, I will say hello and if you are up for a chat then I will be happy to talk to you but often I arrive when you are ‘in the zone’ and can’t talk. I make sure to be sensitive to this and will pop in and out of the room at different points, giving you space when you need it and taking pictures when I feel a moment is important to capture.

When do you arrive at the birth and how do you make sure not to miss it?

(03)

This depends on many circumstances, as every birth is unique. Factors that influence my arrival include your birthing location and the speed of your labour. I attempt to arrive when you are in active labour.

If you are having a planned c-section - I document your birth from 2 hours prior to the birth until 1-2 hours after delivery.

In terms of ensuring that I don't miss a birth - for planned natural births I am on call from 37 weeks until you have your little babe/babies. You and your partner will just need to stay in close contact with me and keep me in the loop.

I would like to capture my baby as soon as they are born however don't want my labour captured. Can you accommodate this?

(04)

I would recommend a Fresh 48 session, which takes place in the hospital (or at home if you are having a home birth) within the first 48 hours of your baby being born. I will be on call for these sessions and you can phone as soon as the baby has arrived and you let me know when you would like me to come through. Just keep me in the loop when you are heading to the hospital so that I can make arrangements for my family.

What about permission?

(05)

Prior to booking, permission from your birth team needs to be granted.

I will provide you with a form which you will need to get all the relevant persons in your birth team to sign. Then we are ready to go and can continue with the booking.

How long will you stay after my baby is born?

(06)

I will stay between 1-2 hours depending on your preferences. It’s lovely being able to capture your baby's first feed, first cuddles with Mom and Dad and even their first time being weighed and measured.

I'm interested in my birth being photographed but my partner is weirded out by the idea. Any advice?

(07)

This is a very common situation - but there’s no need to worry! The best way to help your partner understand and engage with the idea of birth photography is by meeting me for a tea or a WhatsApp call to have a chat and ask questions.

What happens if you can't make it for some unforeseen reason?

(08)

That is the beauty of booking your birth with a photographer that is SABPA associated. I will assign a backup photographer who will also be on-call for your birth in case I am unable to make it.

How does payment and booking work?

(09)

After permission from your birth team is given, I require a 25% deposit and a signed contract to secure booking into my schedule. The remaining balance is then due 1 month before estimated due date.

Resonating?

Amazing.

Let's Create Magic


If something here feels like it could belong to your story, you’re welcome to reach out.


Birth bookings happen in conversation - quietly, gently, just us deciding together if it feels like a good fit. A message, a voice note, a moment of courage - all welcome.

We’ll talk gently about timing, support, and what matters most to you.


hello@reydawnphotography.com

WhatsApp: 079 512 9431


Whenever you’re ready, I’m here.


x Linds