Birth Photography Questionnaire | For Doulas

Are you a doula who wants to offer birth photography?

Adding birth photography to your doula services has become more popular over the last ten years. It is not the same as hiring a full-time professional birth photographer, but it might be a great option for your birth clients who want a few photos. When it’s clear that you are a doula first, with birth photos as an add-on, it allows your clients to let go of any worries about capturing those moments or fiddling with their own phones. It gives them the space to be fully present in their birth story.

I have been teaching birth photography workshops to doulas for 10 years (time flies!), and a common question is how I set expectations for birth photography clients. I am sharing parts of my birth photography questionnaire here, and you can decide if and how you’d like to incorporate this into your own business.

How a birth photography questionnaire helps set expectations

Birth is beautifully unpredictable, and we can’t guarantee anything about photos - but we can set the expectation that we will do our best. Clearly laying out the challenges that exist in birth upon booking (or before they even book you!) honors and protects your client’s expectations and what you can actually deliver. Lights, who walks in the room, emergencies, etc., are some of the challenges that can come up - so below is my old questionnaire. (THIS IS NOT MY CONTRACT - that is a separate conversation)

• 1st Client Name

• 1st Client Phone Number

• Email address

• Second Client Name (if applicable)

• Second Client Phone Number (if applicable)

• Estimated Due Date

• Primary Birth Location Name

• Primary Birth Location Address

• Secondary Birth Location Name

• Secondary Birth Location Address

• Is photography permitted at your primary birth location? Please note this is your responsibility to sort out before booking Elle Odyn Photography & Film

• Is photography permitted at your secondary birth location?

• Tell me about your birth. What do you hope for? What do you envision? How will you feel?

• If you were to imagine printing some images and hanging them in your home, which birth images would you print?

• Who will be present at the birth?

• Do all those who will be at your birth know they will be photographed?

• Do all those present at your birth give Elle Odyn Photography & Film permission to post images of them online and for digital and printed promotional materials? Please offer details here.

• Does your caregiver know that a birth photographer will be present?

• Are there any photos in particular that you would really like to have? (crowning, first latch, labouring...).

• Is there anything you are not comfortable with me photographing during your labour and birth? Post-birth? (please note that I will leave the room during examinations for your privacy)

• Is this your first birth?

• I understand that it is advisable to keep in touch with Elle Odyn Photography & Film if things "begin to happen", such as water breaking or contractions beginning. This allows Elle Odyn Photography & Film to stand by for my call. (click yes or no)

• I will contact Elle Odyn Photography & Film by phone or text when contractions are four minutes apart and one minute long for one hour (4-1-1 rule) for a first baby and 5 minutes apart and one minute long for one hour for the second or more baby (5-1-1 rule). If this is my second child or more, and I have three big contractions in a row, even if they are six or seven minutes apart, I will contact Elle Odyn Photography & Film immediately.

  Yes, I understand and agree.

• Please add Elle Odyn Photography & film to your phone contact list: 613.abc.abcd

  I have added it to my phone.

• Please have your birth partner add Elle Odyn Photography & Film to their contact list: 613.abc.abcd

  My birth partner has added it to their phone.

• Please add Elle Odyn Photography & Film's backup cell number to your contact list: 613.123.1234. This number is to be used only if you do not hear back from Elle within 15 minutes of contacting her.

  Done

• Should there be a transfer of care, would you like Elle Odyn Photography & Film to follow you? (to hospital from home for example).

  Yes

• In case of a Cesarean or other procedure, would you like Elle Odyn Photography & Film to meet you in the recovery room? Often this is permitted as long as you have discussed it with your care-provider beforehand.

  Yes please

• Birth Photography: Birth is unpredictable, and by nature, birth photography is often in challenging lighting conditions. Some images may reflect this with some graininess and/or blur. 

  Elle Odyn Photography & Film uses excellent low-light photography equipment; however, it will still require some lighting. Candles, dimly lit lamps, and light from adjoining rooms (in homes) are often enough light. The more light, the better the photo resolution will be. Should there not be enough light, Elle Odyn Photography & Film will let me know and may ask to turn on a lamp or light a candle. I may choose not to add more light, but I understand this will affect the photos. I understand that I may labour/birth in complete darkness, but that photos will not be possible if that is the case. 

  Elle Odyn Photography & Film will take as many images as possible with the available light. 

  Elle Odyn Photography & Film uses bounced flash. Using skilled flash at the photog

  Yes

• May Elle Odyn Photography & Film adjust lighting if required to capture photographs. Please answer yes or no.

• Elle Odyn Photography & Film will provide a minimum of 50 edited images from my labour, delivery, birth and post-birth in an online gallery. Images will be provided within 6-8 weeks of my delivery date.

  I understand and agree

• I understand that it is my responsibility as the client to contact Elle Odyn Photography & Film once I have reached active labour or at the time of a scheduled birth. 

• If I do not contact Elle Odyn Photography & Film in time to get to my birth, Elle Odyn Photography & Film will arrive as soon as possible and photograph as much as possible. 

• Should I not reach Elle Odyn Photography & Film in time for my birth, an In-Home or Hospital Newborn Lifestyle session is an option. Refunds will not be given if Elle Odyn Photography & Film is not contacted in time to get to a birth. 

• Elle Odyn Photography & Film has 2 hours to get to my birth from the time I call. I understand that Elle Odyn Photography and Film is located in a rural area of name of city, Province.

  Yes, I understand and agree

• Do you have any questions? Concerns?

• I confirm (client) that my above responses are correct. Should anything change, I will contact Elle Odyn Photography & Film to notify of such changes.

A clear, effective questionnaire is the key to successfully adding birth photography to your doula business.

I hope this has been helpful. Please reach out with any questions or add them below in the comments.