Meet Catherine Hammond | Birth and Motherhood Photographer

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

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Birth photography is inherently unique. There is no recreating a child’s birthday, and birth encompasses every emotion. Every birth leaves me in awe of the power of women, and the weight of bearing witness to the newest human on the planet. My photography career was anything but linear, and I landed on birth photography sort of by happenstance. I’d been running my business on family photography, but there was something missing from my work. My husband and I had struggled through infertility, and I found so much happiness in working with families with babies. That became my focus, until I found a certification course for birth photographers. The lightbulb went off, and I was hooked before I had ever stepped foot in a birthing space. I started my certification that week, and photographed my first birth within the next three months. That was it. That was my fire. It has not always been an easy road. It still isn’t. I love being a photographer, but I don’t love selling myself or my business. I love birth! I could talk about it all day. And I think everyone who wants to have their journey captured, should! But that isn’t how business works, and I am still learning how to navigate and balance the creative side with the business side. There is always more to learn and do, but I take it one step at a time.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh goodness, there is so much to do! I grew up in Boulder as did my best friend, so this may be more of a nostalgia tour! I always enjoy lunch at the Dushanbe Tea House and a jaunt down Pearl Street. There are so many wonderful, wacky local shops and street performers – it’s easy to spend a whole day just wandering. I particularly enjoy the Denver zoo – I have been to many in the country, and Denver has one of the best! A forever music fan, a show or movie at Red Rocks is something truly unique to Colorado. There is no venue that comes close, and it’s an experience that can’t be matched! Unless it’s the middle of winter, a drive through Rocky Mountain National Park and over Trail Ridge Road is a way to witness some of Colorado’s most epic beauty. Not recommended on someone’s first day at altitude, but highly recommended overall. In the summer, wildflowers are abundant, the elk will bugle through the fall, and there are spectacular views no matter the season. Estes Park is a perfect way to cap off a day in the mountains – its a quaint town with the best charm! After all this fun, a trip down to Colorado and Manitou Springs will include light hiking through Garden of the Gods, then a trip up the canyon to visit Cave of the Winds. Always a balmy fifty-four degrees, a jacket is strongly encouraged. Though not in my wheelhouse, if my bestie were so inclined, they could climb the incline. After the hiking and cave exploring and possible stair-stepping, an evening at the Penny Arcade in Manitou Springs is a fabulously fun way to finish a day of exploration. To top off the list, Colorado Boy Pub and Brewery in Ridgway, has the very best pizza and beer in the state. It also happens to be situated across the street from where the GRAMMY statues are made. Pretty cool, if you ask me. That should fill a week, but if not, check back for more tips!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family have provided me the opportunity to jump into my business with both feet. Birth work includes time being on call, and having to run at the drop of a hat (or baby), and it isn’t just my schedule that has to pivot on a dime. I couldn’t do this job without their love and support, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to do what I do.

Website: https://www.catherinerose-photography.com/

Instagram: @catherinerosephotos