My friends, this November, brings triumphant news:
The Birth Photographer International Image Competition 2020
Awarded 2 of my out-of-hospital birth images from births during the pandemic with
THE BRONZE AWARD!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I am SWEPT away by this victory for not just my birth art work, but for birth in the community with home birth midwives in south Florida, for these mamas inner strength bringing their babies earthside, for our future mothers-to-be who are learning how to prepare for childbirth, how to build a strong birth team, how to be empowered.
I'd like to thank my clients and their midwives and doulas for having me at these two births, without everyone’s trust, I could not have captured these moments for my clients and their families
From the first image of my client Ashley, (double braids image of @makehomewarm )
Thank you to Ashley and her family for welcoming me into their birth space at Natural Birthworks Birth Center in Margate with their midwives Gelena and Sandy and their doula Renata Rosa
You can follow Ashley’s midwives and doula here: @midwifegelena @mymomglow and @renatarosa9525
And also visit the birth center here: https://www.naturalbirthworks.com/
And visit Doula Renata’s Facebook Page Here: https://www.facebook.com/doularenatarosa/
I'd like to thank my client Shanitra for having me at her birth in Broward County with her midwife Christa West, her doula Dawna Insua and student midwife Kelly
You can follow Shanita’s midwives and doula here: @coastalmidwife @dawnadoula and @the_birth_garden
And also visit her midwife Christa at Coastal Midwifery here: http://coastalmidwifery.com/
And Dawna (student midwife and doula, also has a fantastic childbirth preparation class) here: https://www.dawnasbirthservices.com/
A WIN FOR US ALL!
Birth Photographer International Image Competition is a Win for us all
I have witnessed many image competitions over the years and many image competitions that were specific to birth photography, and I have yet to see a stronger system evaluating each entrant, instead of putting two entrants competing against each other, which isn't fair since no two entrants were at the same birth and birth is unlike any other event in this world, it's wildly unpredictable in terms of events, lighting, positioning, available space, outcome -- THE BPIIC competition scored each entrant on a point system with a panel of expert judges with a deep history rooted in birth photography so their judging was actually irrefutable when it comes to judging BIRTH images.
(My images above were ranked 31 points (image on birthing ball) solidly in the Bronze category and 36 points (double braids image of @makehomewarm ) bordering silver that starts at 40 points.)
I watched the live judging of 212 images over 4 live feeds spanning over a total of 9 hours and I only disagreed on scores on 5 images out of 212 image submissions. That is outstanding! Not to mention, witnessing the judges panel giving feedback to entrants on what technical improvements they could make to their work to get their image to the next category was invaluable to my own education as a photographer. It was essentially an image competition and birth photographers educational workshop rolled into one.
In less than a week from the day the competition award winners were announced, the powerful photos that show the raw reality of giving birth were featured by Metro UK to no surprise, these are some of the most extraordinary birth images I have seen in 2020.
You can view the Metro UK article here: Powerful Photos that Show the Raw Reality of Giving Birth
Quote from Ellen Scott, Metro Co UK
“The photos have been crowned the best in the world in this year’s Birth Photographer International Image Competition (or BPIIC, for short), a contest founded by Lacey Barratt as a way to further legitimise the art of birth photography. Lacey, 33, from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, has been a passionate birth photographer for 10 years and was one of fourteen experienced judges to pick the winners of the competition. First place was awarded to Renate Van Lith, from Amsterdam, Netherlands, second place was presented to Jenna Nord from Montana, USA, and third place was granted to Diane Hinek, from California, USA. But with 216 entries snapped by birth photographers from around the world – including Brazil, Portugal, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand – Lacey felt it was important to showcase all of the top images of the competition. Mum-of-five Lacey said: ‘It was important to host a competition because there are so many other incredible competitions in the world, but they are not specific to birth photographers. ‘So we often get lumped in with documentary, photojournalism, and wedding documentary categories.” [Read more]
Shortly thereafter followed by 7 News Australia
and DailyMail.co.UK !
Below I’d like to share with you some of my favorite images from the competition
I took the time to go back to the judging videos to write down the names of the photographers, hyperlink their websites below, hyperlinked their social media accounts.
I’m curious if you’d like to know what I would have scored my favorite images if I had been on the judges panel? (FYI I do not know most of these artists, but also, most of these images I have never seen so I did not know who the artists were until after the results of the competition were released) Let me know if you want to see a post with my personal scores for my fav images from the competition.
Which are your top 2 Favorites of the BPIIC?
First let me show you the two images I actually screen-shotted as the judges were judging them live, because they captivated me so much I did not want to forget to express congratulations to the artists who captured these moments
Charlene Foerster
from Germany
Awarded Bronze for this amazing capture entitled: “Strong Labor”
Scored 33 points in the Bronze Category
You can follow her on Instagram here
You can follow her on Facebook here
Alisia Mason
from Australia
Awarded Silver for this incredible unique capture entitled: “Yin and Yang Mother Meditates During Baby Crowning”
Scored at first scored 38 points in the Bronze, but after several judges extra input and rejudging, this image placed in the Silver Category at 42 points!
You can follow Alisia on Instagram here
You can follow Alisia on Facebook here
There were exactly 5 winners in the Gold Category of the Birth Photographer International Image Competition, and Silver had exactly 15 winners, see the two galleries below for Gold and Silver shot below, and directly under it I’ve highlighted my favorite ______ images from Gold and Silver.
Jenna Nord Gold 2020 BPIIC Winner
I’ve been a big fan of Jenna Nord from Missoula, Montana for a while now. No wonder this treasure of a human being captured two images that ranked in the Gold Category.
I remember what one of the judges said, how the hands catching baby through the door entry is parallel to between worlds. Genius. I have so much to learn from this incredible artist and will be watching her closely to learn how I can elevate my work for future competitions!
You can follow Jenna on Facebook here
You can follow Jenna on Instagram here
Hayley Edgar Silver BPIIC 2020 Winner
Hayley Edgar of Raising Us Photography Australia maybe a new name to ME in the birth photography industry, but also a member of IAPBP along with me! But by no means a new photographer. This image below that stopped me in my tracks and took my breath away was awarded Silver in this years BPIIC!
I will def be following on Instagram and you can too over here
Sarah Lentz Silver 2020 Winner and Finalist
of Australia
The gorgeous early morning light in this image with the toddler unphased by the fact their mom just had a new baby really resonated with me. This toasty cozy “Sunday” morning vibes image by Sarah was awarded in the Silver category
You can Follow Sarah on Facebook Here
You can Follow Sarah on Instagram Here
INTERNATIONAL BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Renate Van Lith
I want to congratulate my colleague Renate of Renate Van Lith Birth Photography in the Netherlands and owner of Birth and Beyond Photography Awards for being awarded The International Birth Photographer of the Year with her incredible Gold Placement in 2020!
View the Gallery Below of her 2020 Image Submissions
You can Follow Renate on Facebook Here
You can Follow Renate on Instagram Here
Diana Hinek
Overjoyed to see my colleague in Third Place overall from the 2020 image competition!
Congratulations Diana!
You can follow Diana on Instagram Here
You can follow Diana on Facebook Here
Amey Bencke of Canberra ACT, Australia
Amey Facebook
Amey Instagram
The below outstanding image by Amey was titled brilliantly by the artist “Wait for White” that I did not even have to write down because the title is so memorable.
Hannah Paulsen
Hannah’s placenta, newborn, fresh post partum shot Bronze Award Winner is soft and on point and unique that I truly wish it had placed Silver!
Hannah Facebook
Hannah Instagram
So what did you think? Did you have a favorite from all the above? Two top favorites? I can’t wait to hear if you agree/disagree with my favorites?
Throw me some comments below so I know if I am hitting home with these beauties!!
Congratulations to all the winners and Bravo to all who entered! I know this is not easy to have your very intimate art work critiqued and everyone who entered has a beautiful road ahead with learning from each other! I know I cannot wait to get to know some of my colleagues who are new to me this year!
Is there something you’d like to see in the 2021 Birth Photographer International Image Competition next year that wasn’t done this year? Let me know so I can give Lacey feedback!
A sincere thank you to Lacey Barratt of @birth_photographer_ for her hard work bringing this incredible competition together! I cannot imagine how much stress, sleepless nights, blood, sweat tears went into this, but you’ve lifted my spirit with your profound sense of community, involving some of my favorite colleagues and industry leaders as judges (see below) and creating a unique system that worked so damn well!
Last but NOT least
JUDGES & TEAM
I want to thank the incredibleJUDGES TEAM PANEL for the time and sincere genuine effort they put into this competition. I was so pleasantly surprised by your energy, determination and consistency.
Paul Atkins Atkins Pro Lab
Connie Baker Integrated Copy
Kathleen Ellis Melbourne Birth
Hannah Paulsen Hannah Paulsen Photography
Emma Winch Morris Bear Designs
Victoria Berekmari Adelaide Birth Photographer
Judges
Belle Verdiglione Belle Verdiglione Photography
Bree Garcia J&B Photography
Lindsey Eden-Bartell Lindsey Eden Photography
Liz Cook IAPBP
Sarah Fowler Life + Lens Photography
Katie Gallop Sugar Images
Kelly Champion Kelly Champion Photography
Kate Randall Kate Randall Photography
Jo Robertson Lillian Craze Photography
Jelina Sonnenberg Jelina Sonnenberg Birth Services
Dania Watson Lauren + Douglas
Beth Fernley Beth Fernley Photography
Leilani Rogers PhotosbyLei
