The International Association of Professional Birth Photographers is proud to announce the winners of the 2015 Image of the Year Competition. Our Judge panel had a very difficult job in narrowing down the winners this year as there were many excellent entries. We are appreciative of their time and efforts. Winners were chosen on a point system and judged on technicality, emotionality and composition. Thank you to each and every IAPBP member who entered this year and, of course, the families who agreed to share their birth moments with us all!

If you are new here and would like to find a birth photographer in your area, please visit our Birth Photographer Directory.

Please note: While birth is beautiful, it is also messy and real. You should expect some nudity when viewing the entries.

“This image has so many layers and so much emotion. It’s a glorious celebration of a beautifully supported home water birth. I love that dad is shirtless in the birth pool and his expression in his moment of awe. I love mum’s expression and that she is being kissed in her ‘I did it!’ moment. Stunning!!!” – Darren Mattock

“This photo took my breath away at first sight. It’s beautifully composed, simple, and tells that story of the still moments before the chaos of hard labor sets in. Time is standing still here, and the mother is the entire story. I love that she is the only subject, floating in a womb of comfort of her own. Just stunning.” – Jill Krause

“I can’t stop staring at this photograph. It’s such a rare moment, and so incredibly universal. It says so much in just one photo.” – Jenna Shouldice

“You just can’t go past this moment. This is it. This is what I chase in birth photography. This moment. That ecstasy. Baby in mama’s arms, papa by her side. Bliss.” – Georgia Brizuela

2015 Competition Entries

[unitegallery 2015_image_contest]

Rachel Devine

Twenty years ago, Rachel Devine opened the doors to her first photography studio in Los Angeles, California. Today she is still taking pictures for a living and also the author of three photography books including, Beyond Snapshots (Amphoto Books). Today Rachel is best known for sharing her life as an ex-pat mom of three in Australia, online through her popular photoblog and social media channels as “Sesame Ellis”.



Gary Fong

Gary is a world-renowned photographer with more than 20 years of experience as a professional wedding photographer, inventor and trusted educator. After starting down the road towards a career in Pharmacology, Gary elected to make what at the time was a courageous career move. In his desire to, “be around happier people,” Gary launched headlong into wedding photography. He later retired from his overactive shooting schedule in 2002 to initiate the first online fulfillment lab with Pictage, Inc. Eventually, this culmination of experiences led to his invention of the now-industry- standard light shaping tool, the Gary Fong Lightshpere. As one of the first photographer-inventors to bring his invention to market, Gary has served as the inspiration for an entire new generation of professional shooters. Since Gary established the company in 1993, GFIP Holdings LLC has positioned itself as one of the leading developers and manufacturers of educational resources and cutting-edge photography equipment designed to help photographers experience new levels of quality in their work. One of the very first products Gary Fong developed is the legendary Lightsphere, recently updated with the Lightsphere Collapsible Speed Mount (Generation 5) and a wide variety of all-in-one Studio-to-Go Kits, which has enabled photographers to create studio-quality lighting effects with very little equipment. In response to the market demand for knowledge, Gary Fong offers hundreds of educational tutorial videos at www.garyfong.com/videos to help both beginners and discerning professionals keep pace with the quickly changing landscape of digital photography. Most recently Gary Fong introduced the Interactive Virtual Camera Module, an instrumental educational resource that gives photographers the ability to intuitively navigate through information-packed, button by button. Through GFIP Holdings LLC, Gary continues to invent new ways to meet the changing needs of professional photographers and provide amateurs the tools necessary to elevate their photography to the next level. For more information, visit www.garyfongestore.com/ or pick up your copy of The Accidental Millionaire: How to Succeed in Life without even Trying, in which Gary investigates some of the keys to his success.

Angie Arthur

Angie is the co-founder of I Heart Faces and is a professional photographer located in Northeast Ohio who has been recognized by Parent Magazine as a top mom blogger for her website TheArthurClan.com. Angie is a busy wife and mom of four children and enjoys teaching others about photography through I Heart Faces and their photography workshops, conferences, and online classes. Her love of capturing her own children in photos is what sparked her passion for photography. After many years of learning about her camera and working in various photography niches, she now specializes in fusion photography for high school seniors, families and corporations in a new business that she just recently started, The Picture Show. Instagram | Facebook

Christina Beckett

Tina is a natural light and studio light photographer serving the Baltimore, MD and DC Metro areas. She is also the founder for the photography blog and forum In Beauty & Chaos. Tina specializes in maternity, newborn, and family portraiture. Documentary photography and dramatic light are her true loves. An army wife with two (soon to be three) little ones, Tina stays busy documenting life at home, the lives of her clients, and spreading the love of photography as a mentor and instructor at In Beauty & Chaos. Christina Beckett Photography | Facebook

Erin Hensley

Erin is a simple girl who grew up in rural Idaho. She has spent the last several years living abroad and traveling with her husband and children. She is a seeker and observer. Whether at home or in travel, she seeks out natural light and moments. An observer of light and land, people and emotions; she embraces the imperfections in life and strives to make something beautiful out of them. Photography is her obsession, her way of life. She is particularly passionate about black and white photographs full of shadows, dramatic lighting, and mood. Erin considers herself very fortunate to be able to spend a good amount of her time working on personal projects, only taking sessions on occasion. She currently lives in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and thoroughly enjoys experiencing new places and cultures. Erin Hensley Photography | Facebook

Darren Mattock

Darren is a passionate Australian-based DADvocate and the founder of Becoming Dad. He has also just joined BellyBelly as Co-Editor and Men’s Editor. Darren is a group work facilitator, counsellor, writer, educator and public speaker. He brings a unique voice and perspective to the expectant and new fatherhood, birth and early parenting spaces. Darren is a huge fan of birth photography and is in awe of the incredible and insightful light that it is shining on the masculine experience. Most importantly, he is dad to his son Charlie – his greatest source of inspiration. Becoming Dad | Facebook



Jenna Shouldice Jenna is a documentary and wedding photographer based out of Victoria BC, where she works with her husband. She has a degree in Psychology and a diploma in Professional Photography. Her documentary work focuses on women’s issues and more specifically, the labour process. Jenna trained as a doula in 2011, and her birth work has been published internationally both online and in print. jennashouldice.com

Lena Hyde Since 1995, Lena has been transforming the way her international clientele views photography through her philosophy of life as art. Frequently published and exhibited, Lena speaks as a respected expert in the field of contemporary childhood photography. Lena is also the creator of Design Aglow, the first of it’s kind design and business success resource for portrait and wedding photography studios since 2006. Last year, Lena authored two photography books that are available internationally in bookstores. Recently, she has expanded Design Aglow once again to include The Design Aglow Frame Shop and The Design Aglow Paper Shop for eco luxe packaging and albums. LenaHyde.com | DesignAglow.com



Lexia Frank

Lexia is a luxury wedding, portrait, and birth photographer. Winner of the Canon Project Imagination, her birth photography was chosen by Ron Howard to inspire the film “When You Find Me” that he directed along with his daughter Bryce Dallas Howard. Her birth photography work has been featured in national news programs such as Good Morning America, CBS news, and industry-leading photographic magazines such as Rangefinder and PDN. She has led the industry as an educator in the Birth Photography and Luxury Wedding genres, and continues to teach other photographers the art of her business and work. She holds a BFA in Fine Art from the University of Wisconsin, and is thrilled to be judging this image competition. Lexia Frank Photography | Facebook

Jen McLellan

Jen is a writer and childbirth educator who advocates for plus size women. She promotes positive information to empower healthy decision-making during pregnancy. Within her blog, Plus Size Mommy Memoirs, she helps women to navigate the world of plus size pregnancy, shares tips for embracing your body, and laughs along with the adventures of motherhood. Jen is also a skilled patient advocate, professional speaker, wife, and mother to a charismatic 4 year old. You can find her website at plussizebirth.com and on Facebook.

Peggy O’Mara

Peggy is the editor and publisher of peggyomara.com. She was the editor and publisher of Mothering Magazine from 1980 to 2011 and the editor-in-chief of mothering.com from 1995 to 2012. The author of Natural Family Living, Having a Baby Naturally, and A Quiet Place, Peggy has conducted workshops at Omega Institute, Esalen, La Leche League, and Bioneers. She is the mother of four and grandmother of three.

Rebecca Dekker

Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN, APRN, is the founder of EvidenceBasedBirth.com, an internationally-known pregnancy and childbirth website. The mission of Evidence Based Birth is to help mothers and families find evidence-based care by taking research evidence out of medical journals and putting it into the hands of the public. In addition to being a prolific writer, researcher, and educator, Rebecca is mother to 3 small children and resides in Lexington, KY, with her husband Dan.

Georgia Brizuela

Georgia is a filmmaker & photographer, specializing in birth photography. She has co-written an instructional guide on birth photography for photographers alongside offering mentoring in the field. She lives on the Sunshine Coast, Australia with her husband balancing a business and 3 kiddos. In all the spare time she doesn’t have, Georgia maintains the blog Documenting Delight.

Jan Tritten

Jan Tritten is the founder, mother and editor-in-chief of Midwifery Today magazine and a midwife who was in active practice from 1977–1989. She became a midwife in 1977 after the powerful homebirth of one of her daughters. Her mission is to make loving midwifery care the norm for birthing women and their babies throughout the world. She does this by organizing Midwifery Today conferences around world as well as publishing the magazine. One of her favorite tasks is to look at photos of mothers and babies and births so she is honored to participate in this contest.

Jill Krause

Jill is the voice behind BabyRabies.com, where she chronicles life after baby fever became baby rabies, leaving her with no choice but to become a mom. She’s now mother to three. Jill tries to write candidly, with a sense of humor about life as a mom. She also likes to focus on photography, and using it to document and share all the small and ordinary details of family life she knows she’ll miss the most 20 years from now. Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Vicki Beauchamp

A professional photographer since 2010, Vicki Beauchamp has been a part of many life-changing moments. As owner of Hera’s Gift Birth Services, Vicki won the 2012 IAPBP Birth Photography Contest and was published in Midwifery Today. For a look at her work, check her website: www.herasgift.com.

Lyndsay Stradtner