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30 Powerful NSFW Photos From The 2018 Birth Photo Competition Prove That Moms Are Badass
The International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP) has announced the winners of their 2018 photo contest, and the powerful photos that they have judged to be the winners show the raw beauty and drama of childbirth, as well as the sheer joy that follows.
Last year's contest was extremely high in quality and emotion, and this year the birth photos competition delivers once again. Each image tells a story of labor pains, perseverance, relief, and joy. They document a new human's first moments of life and a family's first moment of unity. You can see the full list of winners here.
For a little background on birth photography we spoke to one of the finalists of the competition, Tammy Karin of Little Leapling Photography (Her photo is called 'Nurse Linda'). “This annual contest is a huge part of not just bringing awareness to a genre of photography. It plays a major role in this growing movement toward empowering women, improving our birth options, as well as inspiring us to dig deeper and fight for the types of births that are safest and best suited for our families and us,” she told Bored Panda.
“Labor is an incredibly difficult genre and most of us photographers get burned out from all of the on-call time. Few realize the level of commitment needed to not just show up at the right time, but to insert ourselves into the typically intimate environment without having any negative impact on the mother's progress. It's not just about standing in the right place at the right time; we must truly understand and respect the birth process.”
The genre is growing as more women become aware of it, but Tammy is aware that there is still a certain stigma and taboo around the graphic nature of many images. “I know most people in our culture are still not comfortable with it,” she told us. “But, birth photographers are not just going for shock and awe when they share detailed images of a baby emerging. I'd love to join that push for normalizing the sharing of those kinds of powerful captures. In general, our culture tends to sexualize everything and inject fear into the birth process.”
As such, we must warn you that many of the photos below are intense, graphic, and NSFW, so reader discretion is advised. While one day birth photography will undoubtedly become more mainstream and accepted, we are not quite there yet. Scroll down below to see these powerful and undoubtedly cool photos, and let us know what you think in the comments.
More info: IAPBB
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
First Place Winner: Stunning Siblings First Encounter
RELATED:
#3
Honorable Mentions: Nurse Linda
Bubblegum Witch 6 years ago
She helped this couple when the wife started giving birth in the hallway and couldn't make it to the delivery room. She helped deliver the baby IN THE HALLWAY.
#4
Hello
#5
Brand New Toes
#6
Newborn-Licious
#7
Sealed With A Kiss
Jessica Temple 6 years ago
Just love to see Momma's breastfeeding their babies! Good work to mom and baby!
#8
Best In Category: Delivery, En Caul Baby Birth
#9
Love Does Not Divide, It Multiplies
#10
Best In Category: Labor, Nowhere And Everywhere
#11
Discovering The Love Chromosome
#13
You Can Do This. I Love You!
#14
So Much Love
#15
Honorable Mentions: How Big
LittleGrayMouse 6 years ago
Bit sad that, besides the photographer, there are two others taking pictures... Guys, enjoy the moment!
serena 6 years ago
I'm very grateful that my family took pictures of my newly born child because I barely remember a thing, and otherwise would never have those memories framed right now.
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Anita Zelders-Faber 6 years ago
Nice picture. That look on the face of de mother is so Nice. 👍
Annah Doyle 6 years ago
the child is being weighed, measured and cleaned up, including dealing with umbilical cord to prevent inflection. I hardly think it is being left alone for pictures
Load More Replies... #16
Best In Category: Birth Details, Birth Of A Brother
#17
A Surrogates Kiss
#18
Honorable Mentions: Fist Bump For Mom
#19
A Sound Of Bliss, The First Cry
#20
Colorful Life
#22
Into The Light
#23
Honorable Mentions: A Physiological Third Stage
#24
1642 Days Of Wishing
#25
Free
#26
The First Embrace
Indie_cloud 6 years ago
Is the baby meant to be that colour? I wonder if their joy is also relief?
#27
Goddess Of Life
Dian Ella Lillie 6 years ago
The placenta is an organ that arises from the development of the embryo and that implants into the uterine wall, and its physiology is astonishingly complex. But given that half of the placenta's DNA comes from the father, it might be more accurate to say 'god/goddess of life'...
#28
Shhh, Brandnew Love, Shhh
#29
Honorable Mentions: Labor By Candlelight
#30
Honorable Mentions: Birthing Waves
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Hans 6 years ago
Many of these feel almost too intimate to me, nothing I personally would share with the whole world. But, surely, neither of these are (or should be) NSFW. After all, these are about absolutely naturalevents and the starting points of great journeys!
anarkzie 6 years ago
Most things considered NSFW are natural events sex, death etc
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Tua Xylanthia 6 years ago
Childbirth is magical, but is anyone else also freaked out by it? I mean we are in this warm, cozy, safe place for 9 months and then all of the sudden we are pushed out through this tiny space, we encounter humans for the first time, they are giants in our eyes, they grab us with their gigantic hands, their voices are loud, we see colors for the first time, everybody is starring at us and everything is just so overwhelming and new. I can't stop thinking that we cry as babies because we are in the state of terror, just thinking wtf is this s**t, where am I, what is happening. I also realized I have way too much time to overthink things, which also freaks me out. :D
Random Panda 6 years ago
Our biology teacher said babies cry because using your lungs for the first time is painful. Made sense.
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nek0kitty 6 years ago
Its just because it is somewhat graphic to some people, which makes it not suitable for most work or professional environments. Like, even images of severe accidents or natural disasters are tagged as nsfw
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Elena Adams 6 years ago
Is rated NSFW because I'm literally in tears right now. They warned, I didn't listen. Now I have to show these to my boss.
Hans 6 years ago
One "n" only, please. And I would capitalize your "F" actually.
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JMQ 6 years ago
They're not gross. You looked like that at some point in your life. Nobody forced you to click on this article if you didn't want to see photos of a new life being created.
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Hans 6 years ago
Many of these feel almost too intimate to me, nothing I personally would share with the whole world. But, surely, neither of these are (or should be) NSFW. After all, these are about absolutely naturalevents and the starting points of great journeys!
anarkzie 6 years ago
Most things considered NSFW are natural events sex, death etc
Load More Replies... Tua Xylanthia 6 years ago
Childbirth is magical, but is anyone else also freaked out by it? I mean we are in this warm, cozy, safe place for 9 months and then all of the sudden we are pushed out through this tiny space, we encounter humans for the first time, they are giants in our eyes, they grab us with their gigantic hands, their voices are loud, we see colors for the first time, everybody is starring at us and everything is just so overwhelming and new. I can't stop thinking that we cry as babies because we are in the state of terror, just thinking wtf is this s**t, where am I, what is happening. I also realized I have way too much time to overthink things, which also freaks me out. :D
Random Panda 6 years ago
Our biology teacher said babies cry because using your lungs for the first time is painful. Made sense.
Load More Replies... nek0kitty 6 years ago
Its just because it is somewhat graphic to some people, which makes it not suitable for most work or professional environments. Like, even images of severe accidents or natural disasters are tagged as nsfw
Load More Replies... Elena Adams 6 years ago
Is rated NSFW because I'm literally in tears right now. They warned, I didn't listen. Now I have to show these to my boss.
Hans 6 years ago
One "n" only, please. And I would capitalize your "F" actually.
Load More Replies... JMQ 6 years ago
They're not gross. You looked like that at some point in your life. Nobody forced you to click on this article if you didn't want to see photos of a new life being created.
Load More Replies... 
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