“I have ZERO memories of a camera being near me during my labor, but somehow we have these incredible keepsakes that are truly works of art.”
“Don't get me started on her skill as a photographer!! I have ZERO memories of a camera being near me during my labor, but somehow we have these incredible keepsakes that are truly works of art. It takes a lot for me to say that about my own naked body, trust me. :) Plus, having images of what went down during those 48 hours was incredibly helpful to us in the blurry emotional days after our daughter's birth - I truly don't think I would have as clear a sense of the timeline and the progression and the story of it all if it weren't for these pictures. I cherish them, and love that my daughter will someday get to understand her birth-day through them.”
“…she captured all the important moments for me...”
“Looking back I felt completely supported and yet she captured all the important moments for me... Well enough for Huffington Post to pick up one of the images for an article on natural birth.”
"The Birth Collective is the Best of the Best!
“Bottom line up front, THE BIRTH COLLECTIVE IS TE BEST OF THE BEST! I have been blessed to have had two experiences with Chanda of the Birth Collective and her talent is priceless. She is responsive, professional, and invisible. I mention invisible because she has a way of capturing everything somehow without being noticed! This is important during something as intimate as birthing. She has an eye for details that I and my family will be able to cherish for decades to come. The entire collective was warm and had true listening ears when we met prior to the 'big event'. This made me comfortable and confident that IF Chanda had somehow been unable to attend my birth the other two would be able to step right in and carry on. My daughter loves to watch her birth story and i am certain that my newborn will be the same. There is no price that I can attach to what Chanda has preserved for our family. The memories that may have otherwise been forgotten or mised (my mind was on birthing and i missed a couple of things during the process! Lol) have been captured in a way that really tells a story. And did I mention that Chanda is a doula as well?! That gives her a certain edge of understanding the process of birthing and allows her to anticipate what may be coming as the processes continues. This service is a genuine gift for anyone! I, without hesitation, HIGHLY recommend the Birth Collective.”
“It takes a specific level of creativity to recognize beauty and sentiment in the minor nuances of a baby's birth,
Some of our favorite pictures were of the small details: a tissue in a joyful grandmother's hand, a father's hands in his pockets as he waits anxiously, or a baby's tiny toes spread out while being held. Brittany has created a product for us that we will cherish forever. One day in the future, when we show our daughters these photographs, they will clearly see how much their birth was anticipated and how abundantly they are loved. Thank you!”
“What a wonderful group of ladies!
Chanda came to the hospital to capture our first moments as a family of four. Chanda was a great communicator and coordinating things with her was a breeze even when our daughter ended up in the NICU for the first 24 hours. She patiently waited for us to have her in our room and for the right time for our oldest daughter to be able to come meet her baby sister. Chanda put us at ease and made me forget the awkwardness of being photographed shortly after major surgery when so many things are going on. I felt comfortable and relaxed and we now have such lovely photos and a beautiful video to remember this time. We cry every time we watch it and it is something that we will cherish forever.
Claire came to our home a couple of weeks after our daughter was born and was great at coordinating things when the weather was dreary to make sure the lighting was right for the photos. She was patient with our four year old and made us all feel relaxed. The photos are lovely and we hope to have many more family sessions with her as our girls grow.”
"Thank you so much for these wonderful images!
We cannot express what it means to have these images and also to have had you by our side on this special day! While I wasn't sure if we needed/wanted a doula for our birth, it was 100% the best decision we could have made considering how things went when Ben was born. It made all the difference having someone with me providing support while Brett headed to the NICU with baby Ben. Thank you so much again and will definitely be recommending you(the whole team) to all my friends having babies!
"Thank you for your dedication and your amazing talent!"
"Even though my birth didn't end as originally expected, I couldn't have imagined it without you there documenting the journey.Thank you for your dedication and your amazing talent!"
"I agree with Erin! You were so wonderful. I felt like you were a part of our family by the end of the many hours you spent with us! I will forever be grateful for all the time, beautiful photos and the video you took! You definitely have a wonderful talent."
"Amazing."
"Amazing. The photos-Chanda's energy-the support in my birthing time. I cannot say enough wonderful words about having Chanda participate in such an important day."
"The resulting photos beautifully tell the story of when a couple became a family."
“Brittany eagerly got up in the middle of the night when labor began to ensure she was able to photograph labor at home before heading to the hospital. Brittany was always discreet and knew just the right place to be to get beautiful shots without being in the way of us, or the medical team. After birth, she captured the priceless reactions of our families when they met our daughter for the first time, and even came to our house a few days later to take some photos once we’d settled in.
The resulting photos beautifully tell the story of when a couple became a family. The time Brittany took meticulously choosing just the right images to capture the emotion in each moment, and putting them together with just the right music, resulted in a video that made us, as well as friends and family, weep with joy as we watched. We are beyond grateful for the time and care Brittany took to ensure we are able to remember our birth as the transformative and powerful experience it was."
"What I didn't realize is that...I would have a friend and supporter."
What I didn't realize is that I wouldn't be just having a photographer by my side, I would have a friend and supporter.
When I wasn't able to VBAC for my son's delivery and had to scheduled a C-section, that didn't stop Brittany from wanting to be there to shoot as much as she could. At first I wondered what the point would be. She couldn't access the operating room and would miss the actual birth of my son, but she reassured me that the images would still capture his birth story. She was absolutely right. I look back at those pictures with such fondness as I relive the day that my son made us a family of four. Brittany can capture joy and beauty in a way I never thought possible. She brings to life moments that may get lost in the haze and busyness of birthing a child so that you'll never forget a second of such a momentous occasion."
"...one of the best decisions we made."
“Making the decision to have her photograph our first child coming into the world was one of the best decisions we made…the final images were everything I could have asked for & more :)”
"...will always be thankful for her gracefulness and love."
"Chanda brought a calmingly, beautiful energy to our birth. She was so much more than we could've asked for in a doula and a birth photographer. She helped create and foster a space where my husband and I could easily and lovingly focus on one another as we brought our new child into this world. We would highly recommend her to anyone, and will always be thankful for her gracefulness and love."
“I am entirely grateful to her for capturing the birth with such sympathy and lyricism.”
“I had initially been uncertain whether the photographs would be necessary, but I can now say that they are a most precious record of a deeply moving event. Chanda has an excellent eye and an unobtrusive manner, such that the entire birth story unfolds completely and organically. I am entirely grateful to her for capturing the birth with such sympathy and lyricism.”