International Birth Photography Award winners capture breathtaking moments including mothers in labour and fathers holding their newborn babies

By Alanah Khosla

Published: 08:14 EDT, 12 August 2023 | Updated: 08:33 EDT, 12 August 2023

Photographers from around the world have captured the extraordinary, miraculous moment of birth in a mesmerising series of raw images.

The breathtakingly intimate photographs, which featured in this year’s International Birth Photography Awards, convey both the agony and ecstasy associated with giving birth. 

The global contest, in collaboration with Atkins Lab, was founded by award-winning birth photographer Lacey Barratt, 36, from Melbourne, Australia, in an attempt to legitimise the stunning and intricate art of birth photography.

The striking images portray a selection of moments associated with birth, including delivery, postpartum, hardships and loss. 

This year’s competition saw a record number of submissions as photographers from around the world entered their snaps to be considered for the awards. 

Photographers from around the world have captured miraculous images of women giving birth for the International Birth Photography Awards. Here, Martha Lerner has captured a woman giving birth via c-section

The best overall photograph was awarded to Annemarie Fuckel from Germany. 

Winners in other categories included: Paula Beltrao from Brazil for ‘Best in Birth’; Jessica Innnemee from the Netheralnds for ‘Best in Labour’; Mary Beliz from the US for ‘Best in Delivery’; Natalie Borders from the US for ‘Best in Postpartum’; and lastly, Ebony Ankins from Australia won ‘Best in Hardship and Loss’.

With almost 1,000 entries from around the world – including Brazil, Portugal, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, the judges had the difficult job of narrowing down the results. 

The panel included reporters, doulas, previous winners of the competition, and other award-winning birth photographers. 

For the second time since the start of the annual photography competition, the judges opened entries to a group of birthing stories that relate to hardships and loss, in recognition of the one in four birthing persons who experience miscarriage or infant loss. 

Here, FEMAIL lists some of the stunning winning photographs from this year’s competition… 

In this image, called 'I AM HELD', Stephanie Entin has captured a soon-to-be father embracing his pregnant partner

This image, called, 'MOMENTS BEFORE' by Briana Koop, a couple is captured very shortly before the mother gives birth

This moving photo, called 'LOVERS AFTER', shows two parents just after their baby has born, where the father cradles his newborn on his chest while the mother strokes his hair

This image by Rowan Steiner called 'MIRACLES UNVEILED' is taken just as a woman delivers her second twin

This special image, which features a mother-to-be sitting on her hospital bed at night is named 'LIGHT IN THE DARK' by Renee Mason

The happy image, in which a mother sheds a single tear after giving birth, is called 'LEAKING JOY' by Lindsey Bowns

Here, experienced birth photographer Chinelle Rojas captured the moving image called 'RELAX, SOFTEN, OPEN'

To see all the winning photographs, click here