Make Birth Better Event Photography

This year, I had the incredible privilege of photographing and filming the 10th Annual Make Birth Better Summit — a powerful, emotional, and deeply moving day dedicated to reshaping how we think about birth, trauma, and care within the maternity system.

If you’re not already familiar with Make Birth Better, they’re a team of professionals, parents, researchers and advocates working to create a maternity system that’s rooted in equality, dignity, and support. Their work is focused on birth trauma — both preventing it and helping people heal from it — and they’re leading some of the most honest and necessary conversations happening in this space today.

Walking into the summit, you could feel the energy. This wasn’t just a professional conference — it was a gathering of people who care deeply. Parents, birth workers, mental health professionals, researchers, and storytellers all came together to push the conversation forward.

Throughout the day, I captured both the big moments — powerful keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops — and the smaller, quieter ones: hands held during emotional talks, supportive nods from across the room, laughter bubbling up in between heavy stories.

One of the standout talks was from Illiyin Morrison, who spoke so beautifully about joy, healing, and rewriting the narrative around birth trauma. Her message was a reminder that healing isn’t just about addressing pain — it’s also about reclaiming joy and possibility.

Laura-Rose Thorogood  founder of LGBT Mummies brought an often-overlooked voice to the forefront — that of the partner. Her talk offered deep insight into how birth trauma affects not just the birthing person, but those who stand beside them. It was honest, vulnerable, and incredibly important.

We also heard from Make Birth Better’s CEO, who shared a bold and compassionate vision for the future of the organisation. And throughout the day, a collective of experts brought together lived experience and professional insight, exploring both birth trauma and the impact of vicarious trauma on those working within the system.

As a photographer and filmmaker, my goal is always to do more than just document — I aim to tell a story. And this day was full of stories: of strength, vulnerability, hope, grief, and determination.

There’s something so powerful about visually capturing the emotions in the room — the moments of stillness, the rawness, the connection between people who’ve never met but somehow understand each other deeply. That’s what I tried to bring into every frame.

I also focused on reflecting Make Birth Better’s core values: collaboration, equity, and care. Whether it was a speaker’s passionate delivery or an attendee quietly taking notes with tears in their eyes, every image became part of a larger narrative — one that says, we can do better, and we are doing better.

Leaving the summit, I felt full — emotionally, creatively, and mentally. It was a day that reminded me why I do what I do. Being trusted to witness and document such meaningful work is never something I take lightly.

If you’re interested in seeing some of the photos or video highlights from the summit — or if you’re an organisation working in this space and want to create something powerful — I’d love to connect.