In case you don't know, I'm a volunteer photographer for nowilaymedowntosleep.org
Thursday night I photographed a freshman and junior varsity football games at my son's school. I got home around 9 pm that night and was downloading the pictures when I got an email.
The email was from the mother of a lady who contacted me previously about her pregnancy and the fetus wasn't expected to survive. Mom to be was in labor and expected to deliver.
I was tired from the shoots and wanted to go to be as I had to get up at 3 am for work.
I called the hospital and was told baby would be delivered shortly. She was five week premature and the prognosis was still not good.
I went.
When I arrived, I announced myself to the staff and the aunt who was in the hallway. I heard a couple folks inside the mother's room say "The photographer's here!" and "I can't believe he really came..."
I had to wait about 40 minutes as mom hadn't delivered and didn't want anyone other than her mother and the nurses around. That gave me time to warm up my camera and gear as it was still cold from being outdoors for the football games.
When the baby was being delivered, I got ready to go.
Once I was told I could enter, I did so and got to work. I don't think I've shot so many pictures in so short a time! In about 75 minutes I shot 171 pictures.
Nothing was so artistic as what I've seen at the web site. It was me, with a camera and a flash on the camera... I shot everything and everyone I could and tried to stay out of the way.
Looking at the pictures now, I see folks in grief, with teary eyes and red noses. But I think I got some good shots.
I pretty much kept my feelings under wraps during the shoot, but I felt tears flowing down my cheeks at times. I just "sucked it up" and kept working.
I photographed the baby's final moments as the resident was checking her heartbeat. He said it was fading and then stopped. AT that point, right or wrong, I touched baby's head and asked for God's blessing for her into the next life.
I found it surprising how quickly family left after the baby passed. In less than 30 minutes, everyone was gone other than the mom, her mother and the nurses. Even dad had left...
I took a few final pictures of mom and her mother, quietly wished them well, made sure they knew how to reach me again and left.
I cried most of the way home.
I'm better now and glad I was able to provide what little service I did.
Give your loved ones a hug and try to be a little kinder to strangers. We dance on this earth such a short time...
Thursday night I photographed a freshman and junior varsity football games at my son's school. I got home around 9 pm that night and was downloading the pictures when I got an email.
The email was from the mother of a lady who contacted me previously about her pregnancy and the fetus wasn't expected to survive. Mom to be was in labor and expected to deliver.
I was tired from the shoots and wanted to go to be as I had to get up at 3 am for work.
I called the hospital and was told baby would be delivered shortly. She was five week premature and the prognosis was still not good.
I went.
When I arrived, I announced myself to the staff and the aunt who was in the hallway. I heard a couple folks inside the mother's room say "The photographer's here!" and "I can't believe he really came..."
I had to wait about 40 minutes as mom hadn't delivered and didn't want anyone other than her mother and the nurses around. That gave me time to warm up my camera and gear as it was still cold from being outdoors for the football games.
When the baby was being delivered, I got ready to go.
Once I was told I could enter, I did so and got to work. I don't think I've shot so many pictures in so short a time! In about 75 minutes I shot 171 pictures.
Nothing was so artistic as what I've seen at the web site. It was me, with a camera and a flash on the camera... I shot everything and everyone I could and tried to stay out of the way.
Looking at the pictures now, I see folks in grief, with teary eyes and red noses. But I think I got some good shots.
I pretty much kept my feelings under wraps during the shoot, but I felt tears flowing down my cheeks at times. I just "sucked it up" and kept working.
I photographed the baby's final moments as the resident was checking her heartbeat. He said it was fading and then stopped. AT that point, right or wrong, I touched baby's head and asked for God's blessing for her into the next life.
I found it surprising how quickly family left after the baby passed. In less than 30 minutes, everyone was gone other than the mom, her mother and the nurses. Even dad had left...
I took a few final pictures of mom and her mother, quietly wished them well, made sure they knew how to reach me again and left.
I cried most of the way home.
I'm better now and glad I was able to provide what little service I did.
Give your loved ones a hug and try to be a little kinder to strangers. We dance on this earth such a short time...
And to think I volunteered to do that sort of photography... But it needs to be done for the families that want it!