SABPA (The South African Birth Photographers Association) wasn’t always around to help birth photographers navigate the medical space, get licensed, inform its members of hospital policy changes and help protect their photographers from any legal action against them.
Now, this support and training is available. Mediclinic, Life, Netcare and other hospitals are all very well aware of SABPA, who we are, what we as birth photographers do and our level of professionalism and training.
We are also supported by a board of nursing staff, gynaecologists, anaesthetists, private midwives, doulas, hospital client liaison managers, professional photographers and lawyers. Before SABPA was established one of the two first birth photographers in South Africa had to go it alone.
Most private hospitals only accept registered birth photographers. Us knowing ‘exactly where to stand in theatre, what ‘photographic gear is allowed in the birth space, and what to do in an emergency’, goes a long way towards getting permission to be in the birth space. ‘This information is extremely important to ensure the photographer does not get in the way of the doctor, anaesthetist or nurses doing their job and ensuring the safety of the mother and child.
The SABPA photographers adhere to a strict code of conduct – we know exactly what images we are allowed to capture, share and release. We put our clients first, so that clients don’t have to worry about photographers sharing personal details or revealing anything about the birth before they give the go-ahead. Due to the intimate nature of the experience, we also have strict rules about capturing explicit nudity and images detailing vulnerability
‘Because births are so unpredictable, SABPA members partner up to ensure that there is a back-up photographer on standby should the original photographer be unavailable.
