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Good call.

Hey, congratulations, your daughter is simply adorable!

after all, i havent been a father, and could not make such an experience, but i too believe that in certain situations it's better to live and enjoy the moment rather than taking a photograph of it!

Congratulations! As a photographer and mother of three, I think you made the right choice. I prefer not to carry a lot of gear around if I'm not going shooting. If I'm doing something with my kids, my primary objective is to be a part of the activity that we are doing together, not to remove myself as an active participant to act as photographer. Don't get me wrong, I carry a camera wherever I go. But at some events, it stays in my bag. And in the old days, I got to go to Rome for two weeks, and I simply left my camera at home. I knew I had a choice between spending hundreds on film and developing and would spend most of my trip interacting with my environment through my camera, so I made the radical (for me) decision not to carry a camera at all. Interestingly, some of the sharpest memories of my life are from that trip.

Firsty, congratulations to you and your wife, Udi!!! She is a beautiful baby.

I know from my personal observations that be it a beautiful thunderstorm or church event or concert or any other great spectacle that by shooting, I'm looking for that next shot, not appreciating and truly remembering what is going on around me. If it weren't for the photos my memory of the event would be weak.

Conversely, enjoying the moment, remembering what is happening in your life's big moments means more than second by second top quality photos for everyone to see. A nice shot, when you have the time, will suffice for those interested a lot more than 7 fps during the event.

Best wishes to you and your growing family!

Great post, thanks for sharing your thoughts. and congratulations, of course. 

It is not the same situation and not the same POV, but your story reminded me that two weeks before I gave birth to my daughters I was hospitalized and I did choose to bring my DSLR (and strobe) w/ me. I took a picture of every visitor I had during those two weeks, it turned out to be a nice collection.

Hey, 

I had to make this decision 14 months ago and I totally agree!! No large DSLR, no compact one.. nothing. I took some pictures with my smart phone hours later. That's it. I'm happy with those pictures and happy about the fact that I had no distraction.

Sven

First of all, congratulations! She's beautiful, very delicate. Brings back memories this. Sometimes things are so special and so private, it's better NOT to take any pictures or be distracted in any way. A moment like this is to be experienced to the fullest by yourself and your loved one and you'll remember this for the rest of your life. We're living in an era where people are so busy documenting and sharing everything, they forget to absorb and remember WHAT they're documenting and sharing. So good on you, bringing just the iPhone. I'd have brought the point and shoot, being too worried about upsetting the medical equipment with the phone.

Congratulations! She really is a beauty! I loved your post and loved your choice of camera too! Well done for being there for your girls, as a mum, I can guarantee you've done the best choice, after all, there is NO picture in the world that can describe this magical moment! Well done for choosing to live it instead of registering it! All the best to your family, specially, the little lady with rosy cheeks!  

I also find that the camera tries to squeeze its way between me and those I love. I have stopped taking my camera on dates, so that I spend the time flirtng with my girlfriend and not my camera.

Congrats bro.  She's beautiful.

Your point here is something I have also been stumbling over and over lately. The photographer is technically there, but he is never really there, as he is a withdrawn observer, watching, documenting, but he is not actually living through those moments for what they are. Sometimes when I look through a series of pictures after a certain event, I realise it was all just a blurr for me. The pictures are there and I remember taking them, but everything that happened outside of the viewfinder is a mist.

Hello from Moscow

Congrats indeed! Can't say I disagree with the decision. (And, realistically, a few years down the line you'll still have made the same choice, modulated with "the best camera is the one you have with you".)

Unless you think there's a career opening as a hospital's New Arrivals Photographer, of course... :)

My boy was born just about 4 months ago and I went through the same train of thought and came to the same decision.

I also chose to only take my iPhone in, which ended up being the right thing to do. I was able to capture on video the most important moment-when my wife first got to see him. After that point, I was able to devote all my attention to my new son. I felt that there are just some moments that the mind/heart's eye captures more vividly and permanently than the best camera ever could.

As much as I love photography, I decided that the camera could only capture an image, and that I need to capture the experience.

I'm happy for you, and I wish the best for you and your new little one- I'm sure you've already discovered that there are many opportunities to come for taking pictures. Keep in mind that the same holds true as they grow, you don't want them to think dad has a funny looking nose that clicks all the time!

Congratulations.  She's beautiful !!  Good choice.

Congratulations, she is stunning, and a miracle. I totally understand and agree with your decision. I feel this same pull in my life all the time. It's just nice to turn the technical part of your brain off and engage with your heart. I am doing a 365 and I am doing it to bring my camera into my life more, so I can document this year, but it is difficult. Often times, my kids roll their eyes at me, and I wonder if I am missing it somehow. I think there is a balance there. You will take many stunning images of your baby girl as the days pass. Good call, daddy.:)

I've found that living the moment is always supirior to photographing it. Congratulations, but I have one question:

Where's the PVC pipe? I thought this was DIYPhotography.net!

;)

Congratulations. Personally I don't think the birth is something that needs documenting. It's an event you aren't likely to forget. I was present for two of my three children and although I sometimes forget what they looked like at certain ages I can never forget what their births were like and how I felt.

When you get her and her mother home is more like it.

Congratulations!!!!!! I think it is a good point and you made a great choice! It is hard to step back and just enjoy a moment... Congrats again! 

Congratulations! She's so cute and tiny!

Congratulations to you and your family! I will have to make this same decision come February.

מזל טוב

I was just in a similar situation.  My daughter was born about two weeks ago.  I did haul along the DSLR, and I'm glad that I did.  I solved our mutual problem a bit differently.  Rather than shooting the event myself, I took 30 seconds when we entered the room to set the exposure, then let the obstetrician and nurses play with my camera instead.  They had a great time taking about 200 photos for us with the fancy camera and they already knew the best angles for the room, leaving my wife and I free to enjoy our new baby girl.

I was thinking about whining a little about the delay on the Softbox contest results, but I now see that you had FAR more important things to contend with.

What a beautiful little bundle - and a future model for testing DIY projects, I'm sure :-)

Thank you for being there as you are. She's defenitly one of your best DIY projects.

Congrats Udi! So beautiful. 

Bringing gear is a personal choice. I brought a D3s and two lenses in a small Think Tank. My wife was in active labor for 8 hours and early labor for 3 before that. I had plenty of time to reflect and to participate, and plenty of time to take photos. My last shot was probably about 10 minutes before he was actually born (I have a shot of him crowning) but right after he was born, while we were holding him, the doula grabbed the camera (I had left it on program mode for her) and took shots of me cutting the cord, shots of us hugging, shots of him nursing for the first time.

You can say that you'll always remember the birth, but really there's no way to remember the whole experience vividly. That's just life. I just looked back at shots because of this post, and they melt me. Many of them were moments I had forgotten and some were utmost treasures. 

This shot, for example, is one of my favorite I've ever taken:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidschloss/5175763442/in/photostream

My wife and I were in the hospital two nights, and I had my gear with me, and took great shots of us, and of people visiting us. 

While I wouldn't have taken pictures as he was actually being born, because I was actually helping out, there is so much going on that's so precious and so fleeting.

That, after all, is why I'm a photographer. It's part of who I am, it's part of how I see the world. When something beautiful or tragic happens, photography is the art in which I frame it. 

Not saying that everyone should bring a camera, but it's an incredible time to have one.

I just went back and looked at the photos from that, and while I "remember" the births just fine, the photos just caused me to weep with joy because they're so wonderful and so vivid.

Not sure why, but I'd never posted some of these but here are some that happened because I had the gear and either I or my doula were shooting.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidschloss/sets/72157627065408048/ 

I wouldn't bring a strobe anyway - flash light for a newborn's eyes... no no...

I would bring my SLR (just with one lens) and leave it in a bag, when I decide to later use it I have the option of doing so.

content of a picture will always trump the technical concerns...  georgous young lady...

I did the same thing, but since I didn't have a smartphone,  I just brought my DSLR (D70) and a 50mm.  Thought that should do the trick for the dim operating room.  Plan was just to take a picture of my baby fresh from the operating room.  So I just set the ISO in Auto and the camera on Aperture Priority.  When the nurse came out with the baby for me to see her, I fired one shot.  Yes, it was grainy and has a lot of camera shake, but it was probably the best photo I've ever taken.  I know I'll probably cry over it when  Ilook at it a few years from now.

So when my son was born, I just stuck a D40 + 35mm 1.8G in the baby bag. It is small and light, so no issue there. I set it beforehand to Program, Auto-ISO to 1600 @ 1/60, and just used it as a point and shoot, so I wouldn't be thinking about tech stuff on that unique moment. I have amazing shots that no compact or smart phone could do.

As others have commented here, I wouldn't even think about using a strobe! Newborn's eyes are very sensitive, I wouldn't risk it.

Have not yet had the opportunity, but I think I would set the camera up on a tripod in a corner, set up an intervalometer and then enojy just being there. Yes, composition might not be the best, but you will get a nice timelapse and freedom from any photography, even the iPhone. Last week I saw a wedding timelapse taken by the groom in similar way.

I wish you all the best.

I now remember the day my daughter was born... I didn't have any DSLR, so i didn't have the same questions you had ;)

Enjoy !

Mike from France

Congratulations! Since I didn't have a smartphone when my first two girls were born my choice was the dslr or the point and shoot. For many of the same reasons as you I brought the point and shoot. Even though I have a smartphone now I'll probably still bring the point and shoot when my next little one is born in a couple of months. I find making artistic decisions in those situations definitely comes secondary to capturing the moment. On the other hand when I recently went to visit my cousin in the hospital after her daughter was born I brought the dslr. Like you said it definitely depends on what your role needs to be in the event.

מזל טוב

I am a gammy of a 2yo. I have to make decisions when I go to the park or other events...and it comes down to this:

Do I want to be a participant or an observer?

Sometimes that is a fine line and a hard choice to make, but I would have missed many a great time if I had that camera around my neck!

Here's to a great life!

congrats... june 27 is a great day, infact i was born only 30 mins before she oohhhh 25 years ago!!!!

Hi, congratulations on a very beautiful baby. I had my first daughter last month and, unlike you, decided to bring the camera and use it when I felt right to do so. I didn't even think of using the camera until the exacrt moment when everything was done and the baby was calm and happy in our arms. At that point I took a lovely portrait of her and her mom :-) So happy. Thanks for sharing.

Portrait Photographer

You made a great decision that you didn't take photos and worried what exposure and poses with your subjects.  Time is really precious and that time was the PRECIOUS THING to hold your angel.

We had our baby girl 3 months ago and it was c-section. While i was outside the operating room waiting I got all the settings ready (kept me calm). I figured the light is constant so as long as I didn't shoot into the lights i'd have fair exposure. I was right there with my wife holding her hand throughout and at the moment of delivery stuck my hand up over the clinical sheet and simply shot blind at 17mm. Using the 5d i figured if i had to crop, no worries. That first shot was perfect, taking in the entire scene with all the atmosphere. Unedited & uncropped, touch over exposed and a little blurry, this shot means more to me than any other image...to me it's the best shot i've ever taken! Then I handed the camera to the pediatrician and she shot a bunch which came out really well. Having these images is very important to me.

i want to congratulate you for your new baby as well as for making the right choice. the memories and excitement you feel during that moment indeed cannot be erased in your memory for a lifetime

I'm a little bit late to this because I've been off... living my life.

First off, congrats for the baby. She's so cute :)

A while ago I had my first trip not carrying a huge dslr. I truly enjoyed it. On previous trips I carried my cam and, when back home again, discovered I've only snapped a couple of pics. The fact is, I sometimes abandon my cam for a trip or a visit or whatever because I want to be involved in what's happening around me. With a DSLR in my face I become part of the public rather than being part of what's going on, and sometimes that's not what I want from a certain moment.

I see this specially at concerts. I enjoy them much better without the extra weight and care, watching out if someone's gonna hit my cam while jumping etcetera. If I like the music I may want to jump and guess what, if you're small and carry a bag with a couple of lenses, a body and a couple of strobes the experience is much less enjoyable.

And of course the privacy. There are moments that are just between you and the people participating in them, they're intimate and special. This is for your wife and yourself to remember, and rather than remembering settings and stuff you'll want to remember how it all felt. I'm also pretty sure your wife loved that you were present and interacting with her rather than your camera hehe..

Great post! Good call on being there to enjoy those precious first moments :)

Congrats on the youngest. I have to say I love the temp name. Our daughter was Baby Juan until a few hours after her birth, that was the farthest name from reality we could think of. I took my point and shoot and took pictures while holding my wife's leg in the air. Even though I still remember the event five years ago, I really wanted a picture of me holding my youngest for the first time. My wife took the camera but was so drugged the nurse grabbed it and took the first pic of me with my little girl. With a changing staff over the hours we were at the hospital there was no chance of training the correct photographer. 

Hope all is well with your daughter....