Professional photographers are pretty standard fare at weddings these days. that magical moment we call birth, why shouldn’t they?

The International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP) has been around since 2010, and they have recently announced the winners of their annual 2015 Image of the Year competition, which may explain the rapid growth of the birth photography industry.

The association received 218 entries from their 1,080 members around the world this year, the third year of the competition’s existence. And the outcomes are truly remarkable. One look at the web may be all it takes to convince you to outsource your photography skills to a trained professional.

Do you regret not using a professional birth photographer and why?

Photo by Emily Robison (used with permission

A Moment of Feeling

Nichole Haa of Wichita, Kansas, whose daughter inspired her to pursue birth photography as a career, took the winning photograph.