The first "hello": a photo project about the first meeting of mom and baby

Nothing compares to the joy, pain, fears and admiration from the first meeting with your own child. Pure human emotions at the deepest level are shown in the photo project "The First Hello Project".

Two mothers from Sydney — Bel Pangburn and River Bennett — record everything that happens between children and parents in the first hours after giving birth. "There is such energy in the room!" the photographers say.

"Nothing is invented, no one poses, only pure human emotion, what we are most passionate about when we take pictures. It is always a great honor for us to witness this moment. Nothing compares to the opportunity to see the birth of a child. This image never leaves you," the photographers add.

Together, the women are engaged in the project The First Hello Project — "The first breath. The first touch. The first cry. The first "hello"." The idea of the project was born out of Bel and River's passion for photographing childbirth and documenting this unforgettable moment for the family. They post their bright and emotional pictures on Instagram, thus praising a new life.

The response that their work received turned out to be colossal. One of the clients wrote a touching note in which it was told what it was like to look at photos of the birth of her child after a while.

"When I look at the pictures of how my daughter was born, a month later, a year later and now almost three years later, I go back there and experience it in a new way," she shares. "I remember my strength, which I did not even know about, the depth of emotions on my husband's face and this moment — when my little love looked into my eyes and conquered my heart."

Every birth story is unique, but there was a case that Bel and River will not forget. Then the child was born in the fetal bladder. "Such a case can be seen once out of 80 thousand. It was just amazing."

The photographers themselves also have children. River has three sons, and Bel has a two—year—old daughter. According to the mothers, their own experience of childbirth helped shape the direction of the project, and since they themselves have already given birth, they can take the place of their heroines.