Photography project captures 'first hello' between parents and newborns
— -- The first moments between parents and their children are a special memory for families and an opportunity to show "the real beauty of humanity" for a group of photographers in Australia who document the emotional moments.
The First Hello Project was created in 2015 by two friends, River Bennett and Bel Pangburn, who wanted to put their shared passion for photography to good use. The pair, along with their team of photographers, visits birthing suites and homes to capture those first moments between newborns and parents.
"It’s a profound honor to be in that intimate, highly-emotive space and it’s one we don’t take lightly," Pangburn told ABC News.
Pangburn said she believes the photos capture a unique part of the human experience.
"We both deeply believe people everywhere are hungry to see the real beauty of humanity," she said. "So to share these images of such purity has been a complete thrill."
As Bennett and Pangburn are both mothers themselves, they are able to relate to the situation the parents are in. One of their clients, Carmen-Lee Myers, said that was a high point of her experience with them.
"I had completely natural labor and birth, it was quite the experience and endurance," Myers told ABC News. "Having another friend (and) another female in the room who had been through the same was really encouraging and gave me that extra support I needed."
Myers said she loved her experience with The First Hello Project. Having the photos allows her to remember the joy of her birthing experience, she said.
"I want to relive each day (of being a mother), and in particular that moment we said our first hellos," she said. "It was so important for me to capture my journey of pregnancy and birth because words in my journal would never be enough."
