Midwifery and Photography

Hi Photography has helped me to become a better Midwife.

From School Grades to Shutter Clicks: My Journey into Photography

When I was young, my dad promised me a gift if I finished school with good grades. Motivated, I studied harder than ever and graduated with an 18.6 average. True to his word, he offered to pay for a trip to Paris.

But I surprised him — and maybe myself — by saying, “No, Dad. I’d rather have a computer.”

At the time, a geeky friend of mine who studied computer science had opened my eyes to the possibilities of technology. Adobe was already making waves, and the idea of sending an email to a friend felt revolutionary. Remember — there were no smartphones then, just the TV for entertainment. My dad agreed, and I dove into my new PC, learning the basics of Photoshop alongside my demanding midwifery studies.

Years later, after moving to the UK, I found myself with both a stable job and the chance to pursue a new interest. My dad, always generous (and occasionally lucky with the lottery), gifted me money to buy my first camera — a Sony.

Like many beginners, I thought owning a camera would instantly make me a photographer. It didn’t. My early shots were unimaginative and ordinary. Determined to improve, I joined the Society of Photographers and attended events — even with a newborn at home. I still remember one seminar vividly: I was exhausted from sleepless nights and breastfeeding, my body aching, and I dozed off mid-talk. The speaker publicly called me out. He wasn’t boring — I was just utterly drained. That moment has stayed with me for 13 years.

It took a long time to learn that photography isn’t about the camera. To stand out, you need two things: an understanding of light and shadow, and a style rooted in your own passions. Learning to see light means noticing details — the way it hits a surface, the shadows it casts, the colors it brings out or dulls. It means paying attention to your background so you don’t spend hours fixing distractions in Photoshop.

Surprisingly, those same lessons carried over into my midwifery work. I learned that clutter in a birthing room can slow down an emergency response, so I ask families to keep belongings out of the way. I learned to read the subtle changes in a woman’s skin tone, which can signal when something isn’t right. In both photography and midwifery, observation is everything.

Looking back, that PC from my dad was more than just a gift. It was the spark that led me to see the world — and my work — through a different lens.

With Love

Natalia

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