OFFER FAMILIES SOMETHING THEY’LL LOOK BACK TO YEAR AFTER YEAR
In-Person Birth Photography Workshop for Doulas | Ottawa
April 4, 2026 | 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
40 Minutes from Downtown Ottawa in the beautiful forests and by the lake in Val des Monts, Quebec
April 4, 2026 | 11:00 am - 4:00 pm in Val des Monts, Quebec
$150 CAD + tax
Answer, “Would you take a photo?” confidently using the camera you already have.
Imagine handing over beautiful birth photos to your clients…
Photos that your clients will treasure.
Photos that are in focus and capture the birth space and energy.
Photos that tell the story of the day their baby was born.
You’ve wanted to add photos to your services, but you aren’t sure how to navigate photography AND being a doula.
We will discuss integrating photography into the birth space, honouring our values, working with caregivers, and listening to the family’s desires.
You get to decide if this is a service you offer “officially” within a contract or if it’s something you’d simply like to have “on hand. Let’s explore that.
Learn to capture photos so families can tell their children about the day they were born…
I am an open book - let’s talk about the essence of photography.
psst- it’s not about your camera…
Elle was the photographer for the birth of my son and the photos are breathtaking. Firstly, her presence during labour and birth is so unobtrusive that I didn't actually realize she had been moving around the room until I saw the final images. Secondly, I was unsure how I would feel about having such an intimate moment captured and I thought I would be self-conscious - but seeing the photos made me see myself in a new light!
The way she captures those small but important moments and captures the "heart" behind it all is truly a gift. I am so grateful to have these photos as memories.
~Aysha Marie
See more birth images from Aysha’s birth at Montfort Hospital Family Birthing Centre by clicking this photo.
Birth spaces are not always optimized for photography. I’ll teach you how to work with what you have, open up your perspective to see more and still capture the photos families will treasure.
We will start at the beginning and keep things simple.
This workshop is for beginners. You don’t need to know how to use a “big camera”. We will work with your cell phone or the camera you have.
learn how to “see light” like a photographer and how to optimize it
tips about where to put yourself so you are in the “right spot at the right time” - especially in tight or small spaces.
learn how to set up your camera so you don’t miss a photo
Learn to translate what you can’t always see into a photograph
We will mix tips and techniques with some “Breathe In Photography” philosophy.
camera settings + composition
trust and photography
seeing the big picture
Frequently Asked Questions
-
This workshop is for you if you are a birth professional who would like to offer beautiful photos to your clients.
This is appropriate for you if you some or no experience taking photos at birth.
It is for you if you already take photos at birth but you would like to refine and increase your skills and technique with some philosophical elements too.
-
Yes.
DSLR
Mirrorless
Point and Shoot
Cell phones too! (nowadays cell phones are an excellent option as long as you are clear with your clients what you will be using to capture images)
We will talk about the difference between hiring a birth photographer whose sole purpose is images vs. a doula who also offers photography. This differentiation and conversation is finally up to you and your business.
-
No.
This workshop will serve beginners and more experienced photographers who would like to add birth to their offerings.
This will not include any editing education. The focus will be on our approach to photos in the birth space and some technique and tips.
If you are an experienced professional photographer who wants to add birth to your repertoire - a one-on-one mentoring session would likely be more appropriate for you.
-
It will be held in our meeting space at our home in Val des Monts, Quebec. We are 45 minutes from Ottawa.
Specific address details will be shared with you upon registration.
-
Your camera, lenses, cell phone
pen and notepad, or laptop if that suits your needs
food, snacks, and drinks for yourself (nut-free please)
openness and curiosity and of course specific questions!
-
You will learn:
how to set up your camera for birth photos
shutter speed, ISO, aperture - why they matter in birth
What is RAW and JPEGs and why it matters
specific settings for your camera
tips and tricks to capture images depending on the space, lighting, who is present, birth location
how to focus your camera and what to focus on
storytelling in birth (this will be a whole other upcoming workshop but we will touch on it here)
hands-on practicing with the camera you have
Image Composition (how to set up beautiful photos)
photography etiquette in various birth spaces
a 30-minute question and answer period for all the extra questions.
You will leave with a digital PDF which will be emailed to you at the end of the course to use a resource.
-
The workshop is 5 hours and includes 40 minutes for breaks and 30 minutes for Questions and Answers.
In total you will be here for 5 hours.
-
Six people can attend each workshop. This allows for personal support and a more intimate setting to reflect the nature of birth photography.
-
Yes, that is included in your registration. You will have 6 months of access for feedback and questions through my online private group.
You will be invited to join a private facebook group for past students.
share your images and ask for feedback
get more tips and pointers as I answer student questions
this service may be moved to a membership site on my website in time to provide a resource for all past-students
-
Registration will begin on March 4, with the next workshop scheduled for April 4, 2026.
BOOK NEXT WORKSHOP HERE
A backup date for the workshop will be organized for those who miss it due to a birth, illness, weather, etc., that may require rescheduling.
-
Yes, you will. I have some scenarios set up so you can practice and get immediate feedback.
-
Excellent question.
No - but in time and with the right equipment - it is possible!
These photos are the result of using flash in some, 30 years of photography experience and very high-end cameras and lenses - BUT!!!
I will teach you a lot during the workshop so you can begin to compose images and use the camera you have. You will see space and light differently when you leave this workshop and understand how to capture images that tell a story.
Cell phones nowadays are FAR better with FAR better resolution that the birth photos I captured 12 years ago! So much about photography has nothing to do with the camera…I’ll teach you that!
-
April 4, 2026.
11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
150 CAD + tax
Bring your own food and drink (nut free please).
Back up date is the next day (or can be arranged depending on circumstances).
Why would you learn birth photography from me?
Since 2012 (previously known as Breathe In Photography), I have photographed over 170 births as a professional birth photographer who is also a doula. My own babies have been on my back or in my belly while I attended births - and I know what it’s like to leave them home while I work too.
Home birth, hospital, birth centres, operating rooms, cars, ambulances, stairwells, bathtubs, during a pandemic - I’ve captured birth from many perspectives!
I understand the birth space, I honour each family’s choices and I have learned a lot from mishaps, mistakes, really hard experiences, babies born sleeping and the incredible families who have trusted me to be there. That all translates into what I hope will be a helpful workshop for you.
Julie, of Nurtured Birth’s, reviews her experience in the Birth Photography for Doulas Workshop.
I’ve called myself a “professional photographer” for 12+ years…but I’ve had a camera in my hand since I was 4.
You would be learning from someone who “gets it” - I even offer a back-up date in case you “at a birth”.
Our learning space is cozy by the fire and you’ll have the opportunity to try out a few images using the camera you have in your hands.
I look forward to meeting you and can’t wait to share all this photography magic with you!
~Elle
EXPLORE THE BLOG FOR MORE BIRTH PHOTOS
BOOKING BEGINS MARCH 4, 2026
Five spots are available! A welcome PDF will be sent to you after booking with everything you need to know, including the address.
APRIL 4, 2026 | 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
$150 CAD + tax = $172.46
READ THE BLOG
Start offering beautiful birth story images to your doula clients…
Gather some tips and techniques and reach out with any questions! I love this stuff and I’m happy to help!
Explore beyond these featured articles here.
Excerpts from a professional birth photographer’s old questionnaire to clarify expectations. This protects you as a doula adding birth photos to your services and the client. May it inspire your questionnaire.