Hi, I’m Kate. I am a birth photographer based in Newcastle NSW, and cover Newcastle and the Hunter Valley region. I photograph natural and caesarean births in birth centres, hospitals and homes. I’m also a mum of 5 children and birth is a very natural experience for me.

I am currently only taking around 3 – 4 birth clients a month, so I don’t run a high risk of the births coinciding and so I can give my attention to each client as they are nearing their due date. I will be on call for you at any time of the day or night for the 2 weeks before your due date and until your baby is born. If you go into labour or need to be induced out of this time frame, that’s generally not a problem, as I’m usually available anyway. We can discuss at what point you would like me to attend your birth (usually around the time labour establishes) and I will come and photograph the active labour, birth and a couple of hours following the birth. The time frames vary greatly depending on the length of the labour, but I like to be able to capture the baby’s first feed, weighing and checks and meeting any family or siblings if they are around.

If you are having a scheduled caesarean section, I will come to the hospital in the hour or two before your scheduled time so we can capture the preparations and excitement of the impending day! I try to get clearance from the obstetrician to attend theatre before the day but if the theatre team decide on the day that they would prefer not to have a photographer in theatre, I hand my camera over to a staff member (with settings correct for theatre) and allow them to shoot the birth. I then take over again when you arrive in recovery and follow the hours following. I edit all the images to deliver as a complete story.

There are two package options for birth photography. The first includes a USB with around 150 edited images. These are all in high resolution and can be printed as large and as many times as you choose. This package is $1900. A deposit of $950 is required on booking to secure your place in my schedule, and the balance of $950 is payable on delivery of your USB following your birth.

The second package is $2200 and includes a USB with around 175 high resolution edited images and a beautiful slideshow set to licensed music, which you are free to share with family and friends, privately or on social media. A $1100 deposit is required at the time of booking to secure your place, and the remaining $1100 is payable on delivery of the USB following your birth.

If I miss your birth for any reason, you have the option to transfer part of your deposit to a Day One session (I will come to the hospital or home and photograph your family in the first 48 hours following birth) and I will refund the balance, or you can request a full refund of money paid. It’s important to understand that all the images taken at your birth will not be seen by anyone other than me, nor will they be used for any purpose or published to any website or form of social media without your direct and specific consent.

I often book out many months in advance so I encourage you to get in touch as early as possible in your pregnancy. I don’t take any deposits before 12 weeks gestation but am very happy to pencil you into my schedule before that time. I like to have two meetings with my clients before the birth if possible, one at the time of booking and one around the 35 week mark to touch base again and discuss your birth plan. I consider it highly important that both parents are very comfortable with me, and feel happy about having me present in their birth space. I make it my highest priority to stay very quiet and out of the way of the birth professionals, so we can all work in harmony together.