Birth Photography - women (and babes) wanted

Two weekends ago I was proud to take part in a DONA certified training course to become a Birth Doula. A Doula is a woman who supports another woman through her labour and birth and who strive to help women and their partners to have a satisfying childbirth and postpartum experience. There were 21 women total who took the course and rest assured there is no better group of women that could have participated. All of us share the same goals of helping women in this province to have the births they desire. Previously there was little choice when it came to labour support, if one were to deliver in NL.

A great article appeared recently in the Telegram and featured a recently trained Doula. There is also an article on the Doula project that I am a part of listed underneath.: Doula Article

I took the course for more than the selfless desire to help other women. I am also very interested in doing birth photography. As a child and family photographer I am genuinely interested in children and feel that it would be a great honour to witness and document a new child arriving in the world. The Doula training is merely to help ensure I am as sympathetic, helpful and courteous to parents (and health care professionals) as I can possibly be.

What I am offering is a full book of black and white images, documenting from the pregnancy stage through labour and birth. Options would be all images as 4x6 in a traditional album or all images in a press printed leather bound book. A true treasure for years and years to come.

What I need is one brave woman . . . willing to be the model for my sample book that will be shown to prospective women in the future as well as featured on my website and/or other promotional materials.

The ideal candidate would be a woman with previous uncomplicated deliveries who is due very very soon.

The first birth session will be offered free of charge. This is a first come first serve offer.

Most important: She MUST SIGN A RELEASE so that I may use the images. Since it is, after all, the point of offering up the session for free. ;)

Ladies may e-mail me at donna@donnaramsay.com for more information . . .

Here are some hospital pics from a friends ginormous (11lb2oz I think?) newborn babe and another of a babe whose mother I supported through her labour and birth.






I am very excited!!!

Found Film

So I was in my darkroom the other day and thought it needed a little tidying up. I wiped this and swept that and next thing I knew it was three hours later and I had the works pulled out and scrubbed and all put back together better than ever.

Deep cleaning usually leads to finding a few thought-to-be-gone-forever items. In my case I found a key chain level, a calculator, and three rolls of undeveloped film.

I was both delighted and horrified. I don't lose film. Keys, wallets, money . . . never film. I *knew* at least that it was not client film because I would have missed it. I was left scratching my head . . . what could these rolls of film be? Suddenly I remembered that I did once lose the film from my oldest daughters concert a few years ago . . . this must be it!!

I remembered that there was two rolls from that concert, so the third found roll was a mystery. A goodie bag of soon-to-be-remembered times.

I've scanned a few to document my found film journey . . .

First up my little rock-and-roller. She was taking piano/keyboarding lessons for a few years at the awesome Rock City where they teach using modern music and instead of regular recitals they put kids together in various bands and rock orchestras where they perform at a real downtown club with smoke machines and lights. She felt like a real star. This occasion they performed Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day. Her teacher (Tim Baker) was so great that when he left to pursue his bands (Hey Rosetta!) success she didn't want to take lessons anymore. Well as I look at these images I realize that she needs to get back to lessons this fall. Tim or no Tim!





The third roll of film had more music images. This time some from a Sarah Slean concert a couple of years ago. I wish I could remember the opening acts full name. First name Justin. I got a bunch of shots of him.




Then Ms. Slean herself. I was clicking away until I was swarmed by the crowd. Well *I* wasn't swarmed, rather the stage (and my excellent viewing location) was swarmed.





Last but not least a few from that same roll of my sweet little middle child. I remember this day! We were at a restaurant where the food was taking a really REALLY long time.

cousins o' mine

These girls are my cousins. Identical triplets. They recently had their graduation and were gracious enough to invite me to the festivities at their school. I had about 4.5 minutes alone with them before we left. I was hoping for more, but their day of preparations and appointments ran longer and longer so 4.5 minutes it was. I figured the best use of my time was to update a photo I had taken of them 4 years ago.

Here they are at 14 and at 18. They are switched in order in each.






Here is another I liked.



And the highlight of the evening for me was when they changed into their formal gowns and did the march in their gym. They dressed the same for the first time in . . . I'm not sure but more then ten years at least. Needless to say, they were a hit.




And lastly a quick shot of the father daughter dance . . . and my beaming uncle. One of the best sights I have ever seen. :)

Mothers Day!

helping babes to walk
with patience, tenderness, love
without need for thanks

until once a year
cardboard flowers, misspelled rhymes
make it all worthwhile

this one day in May
moms are rested, happy, full
Happy Mothers Day!!

funny faces

I think babies are funny. Their faces never fail to make me laugh.

This guy was a prime example.

A few faces and a brief moment of tenderness with big brothers.








This one I thought was so sweet it made it's way to may front page.

times moves super fast

So I am thinking about my blog. Thinking it must be a week or more since I posted. I look.

A month?

Wow. Sorry about that.