Working as an exclusive birth photographer for the past 9 and a half years has allowed me to be privy to every type of birth imaginable. Normal hospital and Birth Centre births, caesarean birth in theatre, home water birth, planned breech birth in hospital, unplanned breech at home, even a couple of unplanned and unassisted home births! It’s been a wild, unbelievable and incredibly rewarding career thus far, and one that has created friendships with both clients and birth workers.

I’ve been doing this work since the very early days of birth photography in Australia and have seen it grow into an industry acknowledged and high demand genre. I’ve felt the frustration of building a business whilst battling a lack of understanding from the photographic and wider community and I’ve also experienced the elation of winning prestigious awards and being recognised as a professional documentary photographer! The challenges of those early days are behind us now and with demand for birth photography growing every year, it’s becoming difficult for current birth photographers to meet the need. It’s vitally important to me and to all the dedicated photographers who work in this genre, to see high quality and professional photographers stepping into this work, hence my decision to share my knowledge with you.

In this face-to-face workshop I’ll be sharing all my knowledge and personal experience of working as an exclusive birth photographer, during which time I’ve photographed over 140 births, been awarded AIPP NSW Documentary Photographer of the Year and twice Highly Commended in the International Association of Professional Birth Photography Awards. I’ve built strong relationships with hospitals, midwives and obstetricians and worked on education projects for birth professionals. I pour my heart and soul into my work and approach every client with openness, respect and pure intentions. This way of thinking forms the base for all of my interactions with families and medical professionals and is predominantly what I attribute my success to.

I use examples of my own work throughout the workshop, to demonstrate not only my successes but also my failures. I’m extremely generous with my knowledge and hold nothing back, which means any question is acceptable. I have a ‘Community Over Competition’ philosophy and welcome new photographers to this genre with open arms.

I’ll be covering so many important topics at the workshop including:

Birth space etiquette and how to build relationships with medical professionals

*Respecting the birth space

*Approach and demeanour

*Knowing when to press the shutter and when to refrain

*Respecting the partners

Understanding birth in it’s many forms and being prepared for what you might encounter

 *Home birth, Hospital birth, Birth Centre birth, Caesarean and intervention birth will all be discussed

The technicalities of shooting in low light, tight spaces and in a sometimes fast paced environment -I will be showing examples of successful shots and also some of my failures.

*Shooting in manual

*The equipment you will need for high quality images

*Being prepared to change settings quickly

Building a business through word of mouth and social media

*How to ensure your clients are always happy

*How to use social media effectively

Living life on call and juggling family life

*Keeping in touch with your clients

*Being prepared for birth at any time

Doing your best work and the benefits of generosity in business                               

*Maintaining a grateful mindset

*The importance of investing in your business

*Putting out your best work every time

The workshop will be held on Saturday, May 28th in the heart of Newcastle NSW. I will be inviting you into my welcoming, light filled home for an intimate day of nourishment, both mentally and physically. We will have morning tea, a delicious healthy lunch and we’ll finish the day with champagne to celebrate the exciting new direction of your life! Workshops can be very heavy with information and can sometimes leave you feeling a little overwhelmed, so I will be going through modules slowly and you will have the ability to ask questions and take notes all throughout the day.

The workshop will run from 9:30am until 4:30pm, followed by an opportunity to speak with me one on one, and ask any lingering questions at the end of the day, as well as chat with the other attendees and build personal relationships with people who share your love of birth.

The cost for this full day workshop will be $700. This can be paid in full on booking, or alternatively a deposit of $350 can be paid to secure your place at the workshop, and the balance of $350 is payable by May 21st. Spaces for this workshop will be very limited so I would advise getting in touch as soon as you decide you would like to attend. 

To register for this workshop and ensure you don’t miss out on a place, please email me directly at katekennedybirthphotography@gmail.com 

I look forward to meeting you and hearing about your passion for this incredible genre!

Kate. X

Some testimonials from previous workshop attendees…

“Earlier this year I attended Kate’s Birth Photography Workshop and it’s honestly been life changing. Kate addresses so much more than technical skill and photographers of all skill levels would benefit from her workshop. She has the utmost respect for her clients and their birth space, they are her number one priority and her lessons on birth etiquette are invaluable. Thank you Kate!”

Alex Warden Photography

“I attended Kate’s Birth Photography Workshop last August 2017 and it was THE best decision I made before launching my own photography business. To be honest, Ive always had a love for photography, people and stories and I absolutely love birth (and everything it stands for) – although I wasn’t ever sure if Birth Photography was the right fit for me. Kates’ workshop was everything I imagined and more! It honestly was one of the best days soaking in her knowledge, wisdom and many years of experience. Kate is extremely talented, thoughtful, intuitive and generous in her work. You can’t walk away from Kate and not feel inspired! Birth Photography is so much more than the art of beautiful birth photos – its about the women, the partners, the families you serve and thats exactly what Kate teaches and does on a daily basis.
On a personal note, Kate is so warm and friendly – so if you need a day away from the world to sit and be inspired creatively – this day is for you. Its nourishing on so many levels. If the idea of Birth Photography is calling you, you must attend this! I am forever grateful to you Kate for your encouragement and for introducing me to the worlds best job! x”

Ashleigh Jane Birth Photography

“Last year I travelled from Western Australia to attend this workshop with Kate. On the way there I was wondering what on earth I was doing traveling all that way. But I had been following Kate’s photography for ages, and my heart said to go and I am SO, SO glad I did. Kate was the best host I could have hoped for. The love and joy you see in Kate’s photos is what you see in her teaching and she generously shared so much of herself and the profession of birthing photography. I came home enthused and full of knowledge. It was such a delight to spend this time with Kate. I have now started photographing some amazing births. Thanks Kate xx”

Jilly Rogers Photography

“Thank you Kate for such an inspiring and informative workshop. Your insight is invaluable. I learnt how to negotiate and navigate hospital staff, what to shoot and not to shoot. When to be invisible and when to be a strong support. I would love to do another workshop with you just to spend more time with you. You make me want to be a better person. Thank you.”

Sarah Lufe -Starshots Photography

“Doing this workshop last year was amazing Kate’s ability to teach so passionately and graciously is like no one else I have learnt from. I have done other birth photography courses but this was the most informative and sensitive to the birth space. Kate’s approach is respectful, and I believe that is essential to convey to anyone wanting to learn more about birth photography. Birth photography is such a special and personal genre and to learn from someone who emulates that so effectively is truly special. Any photographer wanting to explore the wonder that is this genre should absolutely come and learn from Kate!”

Salena Brown Photography

“I don’t even know where to start. When I signed up for Kate’s birth workshop I had never captured a birth before, not because I hadn’t been asked but because I didn’t want to go into a birth without the knowledge of what to expect, camera setting wise but also how to capture a birth in a way to be respectful of the birth space and the family in one of the most intimate times of their lives. Kate armed me with the knowledge of when to shoot, when to take a step back and also the way to shoot in those dark surroundings without the use of flash, something I am so passionate about -not being seen. Kate answered every single question with ease. She is one of the most captivating women, I was in awe. Thankyou so much Kate.”

Belinda Wells -Little Blessings Photography