Earlier this year in April, I received a phone call from Sonja Sharp, an editor from the LA Times, who said she wanted to do a feature on birth photography in Los Angeles. I promptly called her back and we chatted for over half an hour or so as she asked me questions about my past and present experience as a birth photographer in the local Los Angeles hospitals. She also asked if one of my clients might want to contribute to the article. I suggested Terra Hall, a client who gave birth earlier this year in March, and she gladly accepted and offered her perspective as a new birthing mother. Terra found and hired me because she was inspired by an article in National Geographic featuring a documentary photographer, Lynsey Addario, who has spent 10 years documenting births and covering maternal mortality in Afghanistan, Syria, Lybia and India. Terra said my photography reminded her of my style and I was completely flattered and humbled.

Sonja asked for some of my images from Terra’s birth so, I sent them and she said it would be soon the article should be published. A week or so went by and Sonja contacted me again and said she wanted to take the article one step further and said she wanted to photograph me documenting a birth. I told her I would have to check with the five clients who I had coming up in the next couple of months. I contacted all of them and explained the opportunity and three of them said “no thank you”, one said she was okay with photographing the postpartum part of her birth and the fifth one, said “yes, let’s do it!”. That client, Stella Toppan Kaiser, was planning her second home birth and hired me to document both video and photos of her birth. I was traveling June 11th-21st out of the country, Stella was due June 25th and I explained to Sonja the LA Times photographers needed to be on stand by at any time as the birth could happen any time of the day or night and could happen quickly, since it would be her second birth. I went out of the country on my family trip and the baby decided to wait for me…an entire week after I returned.

The morning of June 29th, 2019, Stella let me know labor had begun. I contacted Sonja to let her know and straight away, the photographer, Allison Zaucha, contacted me. I decided to head to the birth on the “earlier” side since I knew it may go quickly. As I was approaching the neighborhood, Stella’s doula told me it would be a good time for me to come. I told her I was down the street. I met Allison outside the apartment building and gave her some information about the family and about myself. It was Allison’s first time to attend and to document a birth.

When we walked inside, Stella was on the birth ball and it was evident labor was progressing. She was surrounded by her husband, her son, Leo, her doula and shortly later, her midwife and midwife assistant. There we all were, in the tiny living room surrounding the birth tub, with the afternoon light coming into the window, lighting the scene perfectly enough to give me optimal light to capture the images and birth moment. Her daughter, Luna, was born right into her arms, followed by a cord burning ceremony and a blessing written and read by her doula.

They popped open the magnum of Prosecco, one of Stella’s favorites, and shared a homemade loaf of bread prepared that morning by her husband. The room filled with love and warm and fuzzies and the time passed so quickly I hadn’t realized it was four hours since the baby was born by the time I wrapped up to leave.

I was contacted by Sonja on the evening of August 14, 2019 and she said the article was coming out the next day “A1”. I had to ask what “A1” meant…she said “front page”! I was ecstatic and had no idea it would ever make the front page. The next morning I received numerous congratulatory texts from friends and colleagues. It has definitely been a highlight of my photography career. The next day, I received a media request from KCRW to be a guest on the Greater LA segment with Steve Chiotakis. A couple of days later, I was interviewed at the KCRW station, along with Diana Hinek, a fellow birth photographer and doula that was interviewed in the LA Times article. I have been a huge fan of KCRW for the past 21 years so, it was a complete honor and exciting opportunity to be on their show. The next week, I was called to come on the Dr. Stu’s Podcast as a guest to talk about birth photography with Dr. Stuart Fischbein and midwife Blyss who do the weekly podcast together, and whom I have attended births with in the past several years. We had a lovely afternoon chatting in their comfy north hollywood studio.

In reflection, my life and my photography career has taken me in directions I never could have imagined…I am willing to be open to opportunities, taking risks and saying yes…even when I might not have it all figured out yet. I’m ready for the next exciting turn…