Every year the IAPBP (International Association of Professional Birth Photographers) holds a worldwide Image of the Year competition to find the best of the best in birth photography. These photos blow us away every time and this year, the winning birth photos of 2023 certainly do not disappoint.
With raw, powerful, emotional and beautiful, these incredibly talented birth photographers have captured labour, delivery, postpartum and hardship and loss.
The competition is open to professional birth photographers around the world with over 1,000 photographers from 51 different countries taking part.
Here are the winning birth photos of 2023.
THE BEST IN BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHY 2023
OVERALL WINNERS
OVERALL BIRTH DETAILS
Waking up at Sunrise by Paula Beltão, Studio Paula Beltrao, Brazil
OVERALL DELIVERY
Life Beneath the Surface by Mary Beliz, United States
OVERALL LABOUR
Safe Space by Jessica Innemee, VI-Photography, Netherlands
OVERALL POSTPARTUM
The Lovers After by Portland Birth Photographer: Natalie Broders, United States
OVERALL HARDSHIP AND LOSS
Noah’s Ark by Ebony Allen-Ankins, from Ebony Allen-Ankins Photography, Australia
BIRTH DETAIL WINNERS
BLACK AND WHITE
In The Eye by Sara Johnson, from Sara Hunter Photo, United States
DOCUMENTARY AND MEMBER’S CHOICE
Waking up at Sunrise by Paula Beltão, Studio Paula Beltrao, Brazil
FINE ART
Crossing the Veil by Annemarie Fuckel, Annemarie Lea – Geburtsfotografie Frankfurt, Germany
DELIVERY WINNERS
BLACK AND WHITE
The Expected Meeting by Karoline Saadi Fotografia, Brazil
DOCUMENTARY
Hello, I Have Arrived by Jessica Miles Photography, United States
FINE ART
Brace For Birth by Laura Brink at Rewild Her, Australia
MEMBER’S CHOICE
First Touch by Settia Tin, Hello Baby geboortefotografie, Netherlands
LABOUR WINNERS
BLACK AND WHITE
The Loyal Birth Attendant by Laura Brink at Rewild Her, Australia
DOCUMENTARY
Drowning In Exhaustion by Laura Brink at Rewild Her, Australia
FINE ART
Safe Space by Jessica Innemee, VI-Photography, Netherlands
MEMBER’S CHOICE
I Call Down My Power by Nicole Hamic, United States
POSTPARTUM WINNERS
BLACK AND WHITE
Peaceful arrival by Annemarie Fuckel, Annemarie Lea – Geburtsfotografie Frankfurt, Germany
DOCUMENTARY
Bed 32 by Dania Lauren, Lauren + Douglas, Australia
FINE ART
The Sovereign Family Tree by Laura Brink at Rewild Her, Australia
MEMBER’S CHOICE
The Lovers After by Portland Birth Photographer: Natalie Broders, United States
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Still by Michelle Dunn, Michelle Glenn Photography and Birth Services, United States
Tiny But Mighty by Alexandria Mooney Photography, United States
Beautiful, Beautiful Boy by Tiarra Doherty, Mother Wolf Birth Photography, United States
Bloodline by Alannah Finn, Birth Body Photography, United States
Congrats to all the winners and thanks to the IABP for letting us share the stunning images.
Liz Cook and Lacey Barratt, directors of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IABPB), said:
“We are incredibly proud of the entrants of this year’s competition because in spite of all we endured in our community in recent years, this contest represents the resistance birth photographers have to overcome unforeseen challenges.
We are also thrilled to continue offering a new, impactful and powerful subcategory titled Hardship & Loss. We desire to honor the 1 in 4 birthing persons who experience miscarriage and/or loss and inviting images of these events into our celebration of birth photography is one way we can do this. We are proud to present to you a breathtaking body of work that shares life’s most powerful moments from 2022.”
You can see the full image gallery here.
Be sure to check out the winning pics of previous years:
