Every excruciating and exhilarating moment of birth has been beautifully captured in this year’s annual Birth Photography Competition, which recognises the world’s most incredible images of birth.

Every year the International Association of Professional Photographers competition celebrates the skill of birth photographers from around the globe in four main categories: birth details, labour, delivery and postpartum. Four new subcategories have also been added: black and white, documentary, fine art and hardship and loss.

“We are incredibly proud of the entrants of this year’s competition because in spite of all we endured in our community in recent years, this contest represents the resistance birth photographers have to overcome unforeseen challenges,” said Liz Cook and Lacey Barratt, directors of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IABPB).

“We are also thrilled to continue offering a new, impactful and powerful subcategory titled Hardship & Loss. We desire to honour the 1 in 4 birthing persons who experience miscarriage and/or loss and inviting images of these events into our celebration of birth photography is one way we can do this. We are proud to present to you a breathtaking body of work that shares life’s most powerful moments from 2022.”

Best Birth Photos 2023

From those precious first moment, to the agony of loss, these are the best birth photos of 2023.

Just a gentle warning that these image do include infant loss. 

Best Overall First Place

Annemarie Fuckel of Annemarie Lea: “Crossing the Veil”, Germany

Best Overall Birth Details

Best Overall Labor

Jessica Innemee of Vi-Photography: “Safe Space”, Netherlands

Best Overall Delivery

Mary Beliz of Mary Beliz Photos: “Life Beneath the Surface”, United States

Best Overall Postpartum

Natalie Broders of Portland Birth Photographer + Videographer: “The Lovers After”, United States

Best Overall Hardship & Loss

Ebony Ankins of Ebony Ankins Photography: “Noahs Ark”, Australia

Best in Birth Details: Black & White

Sara Hunter of Sara Hunter Photos: “In the Eye”, United States

Best in Labour: Black & White

Laura Brink of Rewild Her Birth: “The Loyal Birth Attendant”, Australia

Best in Labour: Documentary

Laura Brink of Rewild Her Birth: “Drowning In Exhaustion”, Australia

Best in Delivery: Black & White

Karoline Saadi of Karoline Saadi Fotografia: “The Expected Meeting”, Brazil

Best in Delivery: Documentary

Jessica Miles of Jessica Miles Photography: “Hello, I Have Arrived”, United States

Best in Delivery: Fine Art

Laura Brink of Rewild Her: “Brace For Birth”, Australia

Best in Postpartum: Black & White

Annemarie Fuckel of Annemarie Lea – Geburtsfotografie Frankfurt: “peaceful arrival.”, Germany

Best in Postpartum: Documentary

Dania Lauren of Lauren + Douglas: “Bed 32″, Australia

Best in Postpartum: Fine Art

Laura Brink of Rewild Her: “The Sovereign Family Tree”, Australia

Members’ Choice Best Overall Labour

Nicole Hamic of Nicole Hamic: “I Call Down My Power”, United States

Members’ Choice Best Overall Delivery

Settia Tin of Hello Baby: “First Touch”, Holland

Honourable Mentions

Anne Lucy of Anne Lucy Silva Barbosa: “Cry of Love”, Brazil

Beth Lindsay of Natural Focus Birth Photography: “The Final Drop”, Australia

Michelle Glenn of Michelle Glenn Photography: “Still”, United States

Erin Stetson of Erin Beth Birth: “You Are My VBAC Queen”, United States

Sarah Romero of Sarah Elizabeth Photos and Film: “Postpartum Porcelain Throne Check”, United States

Alannah Finn of Birth Body Photography: “Bloodline”, United States

Tiarra Doherty of Mother Wolf Birth Photography: “Beautiful Beautiful Boy”, United States

Julia Santiago of Julia Santiago Fotografia: “My First Seconds Here”, Brazil

Megan Angstadt-Williams of Badger and Quill Photography: “Liminal Space”, United States

Laura Brink of Rewild Her: “All Lines Lead To You”, Australia

Make sure you check out these Birth Photos You Apparently Don’t Want To See and the winner’s of the 2022 International Association of Professional Birth Photographers Awards.

Let us know which of these incredible photos is your favourite in the comments below.