Meet Danielle Kent | Birth Photographer and Doula

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danielle Kent and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
Many people are unaware that as a birth photographer and doula, I have to live an on-call lifestyle. This means that I am fully available to my clients 24/7 starting at 38 weeks gestation. During my on-call period, I always have my phone on and nearby, my bags ready, gas in my car, childcare lined up, and stay within a few miles of home. Being on-call means I sometimes have to miss birthdays, holidays, and events in order to be with a birthing client. It also means I am ready to hop out of bed and into the car at 3am if I need to.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a birth photographer and doula. I document the longevity of labor, the intensity of the moment of birth, and the first tender hours postpartum. I aim to create bold, emotive, and raw imagery. Rather than focusing on snapping a “textbook perfect” photograph, I am to capture the gritty reality and emotional vulnerability of my clients’ birth experience.

I started as a photographer who did a little bit of everything, from weddings to families to wildlife. None of it fueled my fire as an artist. One day, my friend showed me the photos from her home birth, and a lightbulb went off in my head. I immediately knew in that moment that I was meant to be a birth photographer. From that day on, I started shooting births exclusively. A few months later, I trained as a doula, and have been offering both services in tandem ever since.

I am so proud of the artist I am today, but there were definitely roadblocks and lessons learned along the way. I found out I was expecting my first child a few weeks after I started this venture, and had to navigate an extremely challenging pregnancy while building my business from the ground up. Additionally, I learned that as a birth worker I will witness beautiful moments, but I will also see tremendously hard moments. Medical emergencies, loss, and heartbreak are things that I witness as well. I make a point to prioritize self-care and debriefing after challenging births.

This work truly fulfills me. Most people would be irritated to get a call in the middle of the night, but I welcome it because it means I get to help a mother welcome a new soul into the world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my friend was visiting the area, I would plan to get them out of the city and into the forest. I would plan hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park, a soak in the hot springs of Glenwood or Saratoga, and visits to the little local breweries of Colorado. We would camp in the national forests and cook our supper over the fire… the best way to experience the mountain west!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to give a shoutout to my friend Allison Hayek, who ignited my love for birth work and supported me during the birth of my daughter. I would also like to thank my certifying organization, Birth Becomes You (founded by Monet Nicole and Jennifer Mason) for creating an amazing and safe community for birth photographers across the globe.

Website: daniellekentphoto.com

Instagram: @daniellekentphoto

Facebook: facebook.com/daniellekentphoto

Image Credits
Danielle Kent Birth Photography